Pure Busters Project
by StudioHOP
Summary: Chapter 10 now up! The mandatory beach episode, yay! Or... not?
1. Chapter 1

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Suzuko whispered anxiously at the lapel mic.

Everything was orchestrated by her childhood friend Emi Inami. The orange-maned sophomore saw to it that a plan completely her brainchild would be put into play. In fact, it turned out better than she intended; the whole operation bore her personal touch down to the last detail. The mic fitted awkwardly and quite noticeably below Suzuko's chin. The hapless girl wandered into the same corridor for the fourth time, and the ear bud was loud enough to turn a few heads. The coaching was equally excellent.

"If you say 'Oreo,' " instructed Emi, "I'm sure it will sound like 'Ohayou' so go ahead. Nothing like your favorite snack to soothe your nerves."

"I never did say I like Oreos!" she retorted. She was already breaking out in cold sweat. "And what will I say next?"

"Of course you'll tell them to be school idols!"

"Just like that?! You know I need to give a proper introduction!"

"It's your fault. I told you to go to your dorm mates so it'd be easier."

So this whole dilemma was her fault, huh? "Didn't I say they're into gymnastics and won't have the time?"

"Tch," she dismissed. "What's so hard with telling people to join some silly group? The clubs do it all the time. You make it sound like we're mugging people. Well, then. That might be a good idea. You can have the scariest faces sometimes."

"Emi!" she blurted, highly flushed. More and more strangers were glancing at Suzuko and the loud radio.

"I'll make you do it if you don't shape up."

"I don't even have any flyers, are you nuts?"

"We'll make them up later. Just use your spit and talk! If you don't use it, you lose it."

At a remote site under a tree Emi poised like a hawk over the radio set as her other classmate Aya Saitou watched on, more distraught than Suzuko even. But soon enough the mission resumed and the strained dialogue at the other end filtered through.

"U-Umm... Would like to be a school idol?"

"Huh? N-No, but thank you, anyway."

"..."

"I busted," Suzuko reported right away.

"Rats! Just like that? Interview more people!"

"It would be more successful if you didn't yell, you know. I've got half a dozen people already staring at me full time."

"Then recruit them! I'm sure they're thrilled to be stars, that's why. Go!"

There was no way to tell what sort of pained response she put on her face but the next thing was they heard her approach the onlookers. "H-Hey, you want to be school idols?" said Suzuko in a trembling voice. Then, a lengthy silence. That was enough to tell them the girls fled on the spot.

"I busted."

"Tch!" Emi wasn't exactly known for her patience. She opened her fifth can of soda and gulped it straight down.

"Emi," said Aya in concern. "You'll get fat if you keep at it."

"Bah! If I have to end up with the body of an orange I'll do it to save our school."

"Emi..."

Suddenly the radio crackled to life again. "Hey." It was another voice, a threatening one. "Are you getting people into this school idol thing?"

"Why, yes," said Suzuko hopefully. "We'd be delighted to have you on board!"

"Well, shut up and quit! There's no way school idols will ever take off here in Akihabara. If you don't back down I'll get the Student Council."

Well that flipped the mood pretty fast. "Hah? Who are you to thumb at us? And why are you having that face mask?"

Next they knew, the mic was knocked down, and then there was uproarious cheering and they didn't find out anything more than Suzuko being in a fight.

Aya could only facepalm, but she had to smile in spite of herself.

* * *

That day, before the great gate that led to the school, Aya Saitou froze in place even as students passed her by all around her, pleasantly chattering, unmindful.

"Do... Do you love this school?" she asked herself.

It seemed nobody but her knew that the school was closing down.

"I love it very, very much. But...

"But I guess things have to change eventually..."

The place that held so many memories was going to be disposed of like a banana peel just because there were not enough enrollees next year. What kind of thinking was that? She didn't care if they turned it into a juku or even a dojo, she would gladly attend whatever it has become, just don't close it down.

"Fun things, happy things, they all... They all change someday... Everything, everything had to pass away..."

"Then just go and find new things!" beamed a happy voice behind her.

 _Somebody heard me?!_ But there was to be more surprises. She turned to see a most unusual threesome: The one who greeted her was an orange-maned cutie who affected a one-sided ponytail just like hers, with her a dashing beauty of long, flowing bluish hair, holding a frightened, bespectacled freshman brunette of short, nondescript hair.

"We've got an enemy," declared orange-hair. "We must fulfill our mission in time, or the world will dissolve into nothing!" Before Aya could react she found herself dragged as the second victim. "Come on!"

Turns out the enemy was the five-storey main building. "We got no more than ten minutes," explained orange. "If we take the stairs we'd definitely be grilled when we come in. Four-eyes here will go on ahead and cover for us. She'll say we had an accident and the teacher will believe her 'coz we're not classmates or even the same year."

It sounded good... But...

"How are we going to get her up there in time?!" Aya had just blurted it out of outrage.

"There's no other choice!" Immediately she got pulled into a human trampoline formation with the freshman sitting on it and whining in fear. "You're our only hope," orange said earnestly. "Lead us to victory."

And then, _"Se... No!"_ Off flew the freshman, up and away to the rooftop just a floor above their second-year classroom. She made it!

Except they themselves didn't. They ended up being harangued in front of the class as the freshman never did show up in their defense. But Aya was secretly thrilled. She never felt like this in a long, long time...

* * *

Evening at the dorm was refreshingly low-key, a respite from the zany events of the day. Aya was on to some knitting, having finished the homework. She wished she could have a roommate pretty soon, and in fact she had asked Emi and Suzuko, but for now visiting would do.

She texted them to come over at around seven. They came in a half-hour early.

"Have you made something?" greeted Emi upon entering. She has noticed the cafeteria downstairs was already serving dinner.

"Emi!" chided Suzuko. "Do you always have to talk food?"

Aya only giggled. The three of them were close enough for impolite antics to pass as a delight. "I thought I might get some macaroons from the fridge."

"Yes, please," said Emi as she plopped down on the sitting pillow. Suzuko could only sigh as she settled down as well.

They got around to talking about how the recruitment was going. "Nothing, man, nothing," grumbled Emi. "Totally no one even glancing at our poster when I passed by. They're more interested in the Drama club's with those ridiculous dango thingies. It's an insult. I hate dangos!"

"There was also nothing at the name suggestion box I set up at the second floor," lamented Suzuko. "At this rate I might have to look to an eighties band for an idea, and I'm not even a nineties fan."

"Oh, it doesn't matter," Aya cheered. "What we need most is put out a good song, and if they like it, they will volunteer."

"Then we should cook up some good lyrics. Hmmm. Where can we get inspiration?"

"Emi," Suzuko said tenderly, "You should draw on what you feel. You must develop that passion so you could produce only the purest words."

She was unimpressed. "Right now I feel like a mess. Couldn't we have something else?"

"Oh!" injected Aya, "We could draw on the thoughts of great people! If we have a number of uplifting quotations, we can borrow their feelings and come up with a song."

Suzuko wasn't so sure if feelings can be borrowed, but she gave it a shot. "Umm, maybe... 'A life without purpose is a life without worth?"

"You making a graduation speech?" Emi chuckled. "Make it pithier, like, 'In old Edo, people eat bread.' "

"No, no," countered Aya. "I'm sure it's not old Edo. A-And the quote actually said that bread eats people."

"Aya!" exclaimed Suzuko. "That's just terrible."

"No! It's true. That's what it really said."

"I can't believe there were monsters like that."

"No! It's a quote. You should learn to get the hang of figurative language, Suzuko."

She sighed. "It still sounds bad. To be honest, I'd rather be eaten by a ramen bowl."

"That's it!" Emi has just jumped up.

"What?" the two chorused. "Are you on to something?"

"Right now," she said in an unnaturally solemn tone, "a great saying was born."

* * *

 _I'd rather be eaten by a ramen bowl._

 _\- Suzuko Suwa_

* * *

Putting aside the issue of lyrics for the moment, they resumed discussion about the recruitment. "We will have to submit papers for our new group on Friday," explained Emi. "We still don't have a name, but we could have a chance with the student VP. It's Suzuki who's the purist.

"Still hates idol groups?" said Aya.

"I don't know about her! She thrashed me twice already, yet I saw a boy band album on an open drawer. Maybe she's just a girl-hater."

"Maybe the album was really Komiya-san's. Suzuki-san looks really busy."

"I'm sure we'd win her over if we have a song going," asserted Suzuko. "I'll be the one to talk to her when we do. She seems to be at ease with me. Well, at least when we meet on the hallway."

"Meh," Emi dismissed. "Student council presidents always smile at everybody."

"No, she isn't like that. She is really very cold on the outside, but she never fails to relax her face when she sees me."

"So Suzuko and a song is all we need. The lyrics will take care of themselves... if Aya takes care of it," she finished with a smirk.

Aya paled and was about to speak up, but then thought better of it. "I-I'll try."

"So all we need is a composer for music."

"I have this rumor of a virtuoso pianist at the music room," related Aya. "Nobody knows exactly when she rehearses there, but everybody has heard beautiful music there whenever nobody's around at the south wing."

"Talk about ghosts," grumbled Emi. "You're putting me on a Bigfoot hunt. We don't have time for that!"

"No! I mean she really isn't totally a rumor... She's really a student here, a freshman. And whenever she plays, people peek in, they say, and see her there on the piano. But then she senses if someone's watching her, and then she leaves and don't play again for about a month. Its a shame."

"Do you know her name?"

"Umm, not many knows her full name, but she calls herself a stage name... Umm... Err... I think it's... Guile?'

Guile?

Emi was thunderstruck. _Because her music goes with everything?! Woahhhh!_

"So!" Emi stood up with a determined air. "We're on another high-level mission. "You just wait for us, Guile!"

At that moment Aya's heart went out to her. She loved it so about Emi. For her, everything was a quest. When she told her about the school closing down, she jumped right in and drew up a plan, never one to miss out on anything that can be missionized.

"Well then," concluded Emi, "We'll make a more complete approach tomorrow. After we have the group approved we'll split up and look for talent individually. I'll be the one to go to the music room."

* * *

"Won't you have some tea?" asked Aina Komiya, Student Council VP.

Emi and company didn't answer, subdued by the air of the tastefully furnished council room. The place itself was already an embodiment of the president, and Yoshino Suzuki didn't lend herself to warmth. Aina affected a knowing smile and wordlessly led them to the desk. It gave her a perverse pride in seeing people intimidated by the president.

Going right to business, "I heard you put up posters without us knowing. I was going to send out a team to take them down today."

"Err," began Emi, "That's why we have this." She handed over the registration papers.

Aina only stared at it in amusement before turning to adjust the window curtains. "This is your fifth time, isn't it?"

"Uwo- Hey I only came here twice."

"Ahaha. Learn to take a joke, will you? You all look so stiff."

 _Well, it's not our fault,_ thought Emi. "Are you taking this?"

"I thought you said you've been here already."

"Emi," whispered Suzuko holding her back by the shoulder. "We're asking a favor."

"An idol group, huh? Welp, I guess it's all the rage now in Tokyo. Though it's a pity ours is the last school to cook it up. Even more of a pity now that we're about to shut down."

"Is it fine with you?" Emi was putting into words what Aya was too polite to actually voice out. "Maybe you're even glad about it? Just because you're graduating this year?"

"The most pity," she responded, unmindful, "is that you think it can actually do anything. But if you want to make a final party, I don't see anything wrong with it."

"But Miss Vice President," said Suzuko, "We should be doing something, right? At least think of the freshmen. It will be hard for them to constantly shift around."

"But the board has spoken. You really think simply making the school popular will revoke a decree like that?"

"It's all about enrollment, right?"said Emi bitterly. " They said it's because of enrollment. The other schools are successful, so why can't we?"

"It's _not_ a matter of enrollment, Inami-san." She cast an all-enveloping gaze that further hushed them, though Emi was still seething. "When a school loses its spirit of community, it loses its relevance. If it no longer speaks to a student's heart, what must you expect of me?"

Aya was struck. She remembered seeing so many blank faces on campus. Going to school has been an empty ritual. It was not the second home it was touted to be. At least not now; it was not the school her mother attended, where there were fond memories and photographs she saw back home. Suddenly she wondered if it was a school worth saving.

"If you want an idol group, we'll tear down this building and make the campus into a concert grounds so you could also perform here next year. It takes more than just recognition and popularity and cuteness to bring hearts together."

She paused for a while and watched them take in her words, before giving a broad smile and taking the papers.

"You don't want this to end up with Yocchi, now." With another look at the window, "She is not a person you would want to tick off, you know."

* * *

"Yay!"

Emi spun round and round all over the hallway. "We did it!"

"Now we must break up according to plan," said Suzuko. "Aya could ask her classmates casually. I will just spy around in secret places. And Emi will..."

"Kick back and sun myself on the rooftop."

Her face fell. "Now that you mention it, though, that might be a good place to start."

"I'll go to the music room after classes right after the crowds thin. I'll stay behind maybe an hour or two."

"I might not turn up any results fast enough," worried Aya. "My classmates really have no interest i n singing and stuff."

'We're not in a hurry, Aya. Our priority now is have Emi get Guile on our side...

"Emi...?"

She's gone.

"Ohhhh... And she just said she's going after class."

* * *

That wasn't really necessary. The music room was isolated enough as it is during lunch. Emi walked in gazing everywhere as though seeing the room for the first time.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mother," gasped Suzuko, "who would even want to hang out here?"

To be sure, students have been going to the rooftop at lunch as far as she could remember and even before, but the sun beat down mercilessly on the bare concrete and the school board closed off the place from time to time. There was a forest of trees down at the courtyard, anyways. Gahhh, checking out a place just because Emi mentioned it. What kind of stupid supernatural quality does her voice have?

In fairness, though, it might be easier for her to smalltalk to the handful of people who might be here, compared to yesterday's debacle at the hallway.

She decided to stay in the shade, walking along the walls of the few structures there, the penthouse and the water tank. She could see that the open spaces and the railings were empty. Guess it's time to go back.

*Gasp*

She stopped herself in time. There was a shadow extending from under the tank, from within the steel frame supporting it. Cautiously, she proceeded. The girl seems to be too busy enjoying her lunch.

 _What?_

 _It's... It's the girl... It's the girl we dragged into our classroom rush!_

Yup. She is. She was immediately recognizable fromt hose glasses. Also, the short, brown hair was the same. The shy, puppy demeanor was the same. She was munching away happily on some onigiri.

For a moment she thought of backing away. She could get into trouble if the girl remembers her. But... she felt she owed the poor lass an apology. It's not like she will transfer out of Otonizaka tomorrow if she runs away now, that they could never possibly run into each other again somewhere in theis same campus they are sharing.

 _How am I going to make it up to her?_

Tentatively, she inched closer, trying not to make a sound, allowing the girl to simply feel her presence instead. Suzuko eased herself into the same space under the tank and settled right next to four-eyes.

And she still didn't notice.

There was a whole picnic basket of onigiri and other goodies. This will take a while if she's really into it.

After a moment of hesitation, Suzuko decided to break the ice. "Err..." she muttered. "You really like rice... don't you?"

The girl giggled softly in response. "It's the simple things. I love them."

To her own surprise, Suzuko was instantly relieved. The innocence in her voice softens and disarms. "I'm glad... then," was all she could say.

"You know, Rippi-chan, whenever I'm glad, you're also glad. And if you are glad, I become glad, too. And if I'm glad, you become glad. And if you're glad..." Giggle. "We will make an entire spiral of happiness, don't you think?"

Suzuko couldn't help but smile in spite of herself. Such purity! If she wasn't overwhelmed with the urge to hug this creature, she would have lambasted herself for having picked on her in the first place.

Wait. "Rippi-chan?" mused Suzuko.

 _"DON'T YOU PREY ON THE WEAK!"_

Suzuko's scream was cut off by a tackle pinning her to the ground.

* * *

The weather turned cloudy about halfway into lunch so the three of them were able to eat rather comfortably in the open. Four-eyes, who had introduced herself as Yurika, gave extra portions to Suzuko to make up for the trouble her friend caused.

"Humph," said friend huffed. She had short hair, shorter than Yurika's even, and tomboyish. "She don't deserve this."

"It's alright, Rippi-chan," explained Yurika. "I'm sure they didn't mean to be mean back then."

"But they picked _you!_ Out of everyone, they picked my dear Rika-chin, nya!"

"Hey, calm down, sis," said Suzuko. "We're sorry. We really are."

"Humph. What if someone stronger than you picked on you, huh?" She stood up to emphasize. "Know this, miss, I, Iida Takatsuki, will protect Yurika Furihata always and forever-nya!"

"Rippi-chan," said Yurika, "there's no need for that. I..."

"Furihata-san is not a child anymore," rebuffed Suzuko. "And can you please stop that nya-thing? It's gonna kill me."

"Well, then. If that's really gonna kill you, I'd better shape up. Nya, nya, nya, nya, _nya, nya, NYA!"_

"Rippi-chan! Please don't be rude. She's our guest now."

Yurika, the sweet and innocent lass, losing her cool, was something Iida hated so much, even more than the blue-haired interloper, that she just had to hush. "Humph," she conceded. And she sat down.

"What a relief," Suzuko sighed to herself. Aloud, "I haven't even introduced myself properly. I'm Suzuko Suwa. I'm a second-year student, and I'd be very happy if you could join us and become school idols."

"School idols?" gasped Yurika in awe. "Y-You are school idols? For real?"

"No, actually," she replied sadly. "Not yet. But we want to form a team that can represent Otonokizaka so people will want to enroll here."

"I see," said Iida soberly. Sigh. "Ma was so frustrated she had to look for another school for me too soon."

"That's why I need your help, Furihata-san, Takatsuki-san. You are the ones who'll be the most affected."

"Bleh. Second-years pretending to care about us freshmen. I said it was Ma who's frustrated, not me. I'd rather go over to UVX myself."

"No, you don't understand. It's not just you, also. It's everyone. All of us, this school has already been part of our lives. Are we going to just stand back and let our memories be destroyed just like that? Please!"

Iida only smirked. She turned to her friend. "Rika-chin. What do you think?"

"Hah?" she said caught quite off-guard. She has always been the one doing the consulting. "I-I-I... Well..."

"Well, that settles it," Iida finished for her. "If Rika-chin doesn't want to go. Then I won't." She slurped another round of ramen.

"But," Yurika mumbled very faintly, not quite decided herself, "I-I didn't say..."

"So, then," said Suzuko turning to Yurika, who paled at the thought of having to answer for Iida, "I guess I'll just have to convince Furihata-san."

A firm grip landed on Suzuko's arm.

"No," said Iida. "Don't give Rika-chin any more worries. Alright, I'll be the one. You'll have to pass through me first." At which Yurika let out an audible sigh.

Suzuko wanted to say something in response, but decided to let it drop for now as she didn't have the whole day to wrangle with the freshman. Instead, she, up to challenge, stared eye-to-eye with her. _This is going to be tough._

They finished the rest of the lunch in silence.

* * *

Emi was debating with herself whether this was really the right time to catch Guile. The rumors were saying that she plays in the Music room after classes, after all. Oh well, a mission was a mission, and she would jump at any chance to embark on an adventure whatever time of the day it was.

The walls were draped by heavy curtains to damp out echoes from the music. They were also perfect for hiding if there was only one other person in the room.

"Wow," breathed Aya. "She... She's really a pro." Guile's playing was a wonder even through a muffled recording. It instantly activated a whole slew of responses from Aya. "I can already feel the words coming from me. Don't worry about the lyrics, Emi-chan. I'll have a finished song first thing tomorrow!"

"You better," whimpered Emi. "I missed my entire lunch just waiting. I nearly got grilled again being late. Buy me a crepe!"

Aya giggled at her grumbling, but Suzuko looked worried. She felt she was the only one who hasn't produced any results thus far. She stood up. "Sumimasen... I have to follow up on something."

"Anything wrong with the Student Council?" asked Emi.

"No, no. Actually I have a recruit." She shrugged. "Well, a potential one. I have to convince her."

"Them students. They really want to go all-out on feeling important. Go get her. If she persists, whack 'er with this eel pie."

"I'll be alright, thank you. I'm going now."

Suzuko wandered about the South Wing where the freshmen classes were held. There were still droves of students just fresh out of the building and heading home. If she doesn't find Takatsuki she'll have to return to the rooftop tomorrow.

The groups of students thinned out. One last try. She will look over the rooms where day cleaners were left behind.

Well, there were day cleaners, but no Iida. Tch. Why does school idol recruitment have to be this hard? If only she could have a wonder box from which she can pull whole new members, in envelopes... She could only wish.

Just then she chanced upon a room where there was no cleaner. Some of the seats were still in disarray and litter were strewn about at the foot of tables and such. Equations remained on the board. She scanned it for the name. Who could possibly be this irresponsible?

 _Takatsuki Iida?!_

She dashed out of the room and down the corridor in the direction of the P.E. Building. Was she looking for supplies? Was she out on the rooftop again with Yurika? But right as she went out the exit to a shaded lawn, she was arrested but the sounds of mewing cats.

"What?"

She turned to see someone sitting on the grass playing with the cats. She did remember a place here in school where there were a lot of felines, and in fact the rumor was they were being purposely raised to supply bodies to be dissected in Biology class. The girl sitting with them was not trying to butcher them. She was playing.

"I should have known," she said to herself when she found out. She should have known from the -nya quirk.

She cautiously approached Iida who was busy toying with a catnip on a juvenile. The older cats were rolling around and purring. They seemed to be enjoying each other so much she lingered for a bit before actually speaking.

"Ummm," she began, "I think you have classroom duty, Takatsuki-san."

"Yeah, I know," she said absently, almost drowsily. "I also was yesterday."

Suzuko sighed. "It's because you keep shirking your turn," she chided. "Come on, I'll help you."

"You pulling that helping trick to get me into school idol stuff again?" she replied, still blankly. "Come back tomorrow."

"Hey," she denied. "If I were to recruit you I'd talk directly, like I did at lunch. I'm saying this for your sake."

"Oh, quit pretending to be my Mom already, will you?" After a short while, "If you want be useful, hold this for me," she said handing over some catnip.

"Uh, hai," she said complying at once. Why was she so obliging to this person? But she was too deep into this business to ask now. She sat down and tentatively lay one of the stalks on the ground, hoping at least one of those fat older ones cozied up to her. Immediately, though, it got a different customer. A white juvenile seized the stalk. Suzuko smiled indulgently at the critter, but then, she noticed something.

"Takatsuki-san! Look at this!"

Iida turned around, saw the feline, and picked up the cat. Something was tied on its swiveling tail. A note.

Opening it, Iida read out, "Takatsuki Iida. I know you are remiss on your shift..." An aghast expression came over her. "You!" she accused Suzuko. "You were stalking me all along!"

"No, no!" She snatched the paper away and read it herself. "Takatsuki Iida. I know you are remiss on your shift. I don't want everyone to clamp down on you for loafing so you must make it up to them. You must tidy up the P.E. storage shack this minute. You are not allowed to go home until you do so. If you don't comply, I'll have to send cat after cat after cat straight to your room, each time carrying a bigger task for you to finish. Please receive this message clearly." Suzuko was stunned.

There were nothing to indicate who wrote this.

"How can she possibly know where I live-nya?!" cried Iida. "And why is she messing with my cats? This is unfair, unfair, unfair!"

Suzuko took her arm. "Don't worry, Takatsuki-san," she said earnestly. "We'll fix this together, OK?" But when Iida only stared back, speechless from panic, she went drastic and pulled her up. "Come on! We have no time to lose!"

The P.E. Building was at a far end of the campus, and they have only reached the courtyard when fatigue took the better of them. "Why... now?" panted Iida. "We'll be staying here till midnight!"

"We can't... give up... Takatsuki-san," Suzuko gasped, still determined. "Think... of the harder things you'll have... to go through..."

"Hmmm?" said a voice behind them. "I told you to whack her, not drag her along and kidnap her."

Surprise instantly gobbled up Suzuko's exhaustion. "Emi!" The girl herself was standing there with an apron and mop, while Aya had a scarf on and holding a broom.

"I see we have a mission today," smiled Emi. "Are you ready?"

Suzuko's enlivened face was only contrasted by Iida's perplexed expression. Emi is working her wonders again. Nobody else could whip up people like this in times of need. "You got it! Let's go!"

* * *

It took all of one-and-a-half hours to tidy up. It was already dark when they left the campus, but it would have taken three hours if Iida did it on her own.

Walking home, Emi and Aya were chatting happily about clothes and stuff, while Suzuko silently beamed with pride over her one trophy, Iida, who was following behind them dejectedly, not quite believing she might as well have to give in to these nutjobs.

"Iida-san," said Suzuko tenderly. She felt comfortable enough to call her by name. She was that confident they have her now. "Let me carry your bag. You must be drained from today's work."

Iida only shook her head, still speechless.

"Man," grumbled Emi. "You should be happy you got your own valet, even for one evening." Which elicited some embarrassed uneasiness in Suzuko, but she nonetheless reached out to take Iida's bag. And she let her.

As they walked the rest of the way home, Iida was the only one remaining silent. She busted. She was allowing herself to be led into captivity by them. She couldn't exactly say she was bullied as Yurika was, they did her a favor, but a captive was a captive. How could it have turned out like this? She was supposed to avenge Yurika, wasn't she?

"Hey!" said Emi putting an arm around Iida. "Let's throw a big party for our newest member! My treat!" She fired of a hearty guffaw, which descended into an embarrassed giggling. "Eheheh. I mean, I know the barista at the cafe down the road, and I'll ask her to lend us three smoothies, at least."

"Oh, Emi," sighed Suzuko. Aya only chuckled.

Now, she couldn't take anymore. Iida threw off Emi and went in front of them. "OK, you win! For today."

She scanned those faces for a bit before speaking again, and saw the surprised faces turn serious and attentive, genuinely interested in what she has to say. This threw her even more off guard, as she was ready to argue with them to the death. But she has to speak up. She was still forced into this to begin with. "Look, even if you helped me today, I can't forget what you did to Rika-chin." She saw Suzuko nod in empathy. "You can't make me forget Rika-chin, no matter what you do. So if you want me to join your silly group, I must have Yurika with me. OK, I'll bring her to you. But if at any time you make her cry ever again, I'm taking her back. No explanations. You got it?"

Emi regarded her for a while. Iida isn't folding this time. She stared right back at her. She will protect Yurika against them no matter what. No backing down. Emi liked the spirit. It convinced her even further that this one was fit for the challenges that lay ahead.

"Alright," concluded Emi, extending her hand. "We got a deal. The day after next is a Saturday. Come see us at the baseball field at nine sharp." She smirked. "No excuses."

Aya and Suzuko encouraged her with smiles to melt a block of ice. And so did Emi, but at the corner of her lips, the smile was cracking. Is she taking her hand or what?

A wallet landed on Emi's open palm.

"There," said Iida. "You want to celebrate? I still got some change. Please, bottoms up!"

Emi's cracking smile quickly turned into an image of outraged joy. _"Yeah!_ Come on, let's have a race. First to arrive eats everything!"

Everybody broke into a run. Their laughs filled the evening air breaking the silence of the deserted street. The folks will probably get mad. But what is that to Aya? Nothing compared to the prospect of saving their precious school.

Something dropped heavily on the pavement.

Umi gasped. "Aya!" They all rushed back. "Aya, wake up! Please!"

"Nothing to worry," said Emi. "It's one those sleeping attacks again. We'll just take her back to the dorm."


	3. Chapter 3

Aya woke up in cold sweat.

There was this nightmare again.

It was unusually frightening for a number of reasons, all competing to be the gravest on the list. It was nothing but darkness and vague shadows. It always had her lying down helplessly; she just felt it in the amorphous blackness. The same terror seized her every single time.

It had been going on for so long.

* * *

"Well, now," said Emi self-satisfied, "I see you want to help us again?"

Yurika, not quite having gotten over the trampoline heist, trembled even just a bit seeing the intimidating Emi yet again.

"Are you alright?!" said Iida. She began to lead her away. To them, "Humph. I told you I'd take her back."

"No," Yurika herself said. "I'm fine. Please let me have the interview."

"See?" smiled Aya. "I knew she was a school idol at heart."

"N-Not really," replied Yurika, still a bit nervous. "I love school idols... but it's hard for me to imagine actually being one."

"Phew," dismissed Emi. "Recruits always say that. Anyone who loves school idols _wants_ to be school idols. That's Murphy's First Law."

"Emi," whispered Aya, "you're mixing it up."

"But I'm right, right?" she insisted. "Listen closely. Today we will give you basic training. Suwa-san here will lead our exercises. These are designed to enhance bodily stamina, but above all," and this with an evil glint in the eye, "to see if you are truly fit to handle a performance."

It only made Yurika even more apprehensive. Iida squeezed her arm. "Don't be scared, Rika-chin, I'll lead you along and hold your hand-nya."

"NO!" commanded Emi. "Where do you find a bootcamp where trainees hold hands? You'll do it yourself... and we start NOW!"

Suzuko's training regime didn't help Yurika one bit. For starters, they were to jog nonstop around the baseball field. Iida was handily catching up with the others, but Yurika consistently fell in behind. At one point, she simply dropped a quarter of the way, panting.

The other exercises weren't much better. Yurika either went off-balance, suffered a cramp, or ran out of breath fast. She spent most of the latter half of the training on the bench.

And at lunch she was a bigger eater than the rest of them combined. This will not improve her weight.

At the end of the day. the group gathered round the two. Iida's face was hard. She always knew Yurika won't stand up to this. Well, at least she could quickly bow out of this now. Only, she wished her nest friend didn't have to suffer in the process.

"Takatsuki-san," announced Emi. "You got the build to appear on stage, and you're very agile. I need not say anything more. Congratulations."

 _Congratulate yourself,_ she thought ruefully. _I told you there'd be no excuses. I won't join this stint without Rika-chin._

Turning to Yurika, Emi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Aya and Suzuko had worried expressions. Maybe she could come back in a month? But they have to move fast for the sake of the school.

"Furihata-san," said Emi.

"Uh, h-hai!" blurted Yurika. But she was sweating hard and close to tears. Her failure was spectacular. Turns out, Murphy's First Law was right and so much truer with Yurika Furihata, but there's no way she'd be a school idol now.

Right?

"What does it take to become a true school idol?" asked Emi.

"Guts! Bravery! Friendship!" She spilled it out. She realized she flopped again, but she must gather herself somehow. "Guts! Bravery! Friendship!" she repeated as Aya and Suzuko looked on in disbelief. But each time Yurika only spoke louder and more fervently. "Guts! Bravery! Friendship! Guts! Bravery! Friendship!"

"OK, you pass," said Emi. "Congratulations."

Suzuko nearly fell over. "Emi!" She began to set out bashing their leader, but caught herself in time, not wanting to act too embarrassingly in front of the recruits. Aya, equally appalled, nonetheless spoke up for her.

"Emi-chan. Are you sure? Isn't it too much for Furihata-san?"

"It's OK. She's fit," she replied turning and walking away. "Let's go. I'm famished."

That's Emi Inami for you.

Rin jumped up and hugged Yurika in excitement, while Aya Suzuko only stared after Emi, even while she was urging them to catch up. "Hey, Suzuko-chan," said Aya, "I guess, somehow, everything will be fine... don't you think?"

"Well," she could answer, "there's no way of telling. But we have to make our group, so I think we better be bright about everything."

Aya smiled at Suzuko and took her hand in reassurance. They smiled at each other and bid the other two to follow them. "Come on," said Suzuko. "We will celebrate. My treat this time."

* * *

The next practice session was somewhat less than enthusiastic. It must have something to do with Emi not being there today.

"Come on, step it up," urged Suzuko on the balancing exercise. Aya, Iida, and Yurika were all having a hard time with Yurika taking it the hardest as usual. The break after that was a long one.

"Man," sighed Suzuko. "Performing on stage will put a much bigger strain on you. We must pull this off."

"It's unfair-nya," grumbled Iida. "Inami-san is not even here while we have to wear ourselves out."

"She is still gathering support," explained Suzuko, though with a bit of doubt. "Maybe she will get us new members."

"How many do we really have before we're a team?"

"I don't know. It's up to her." But she wasn't so sure herself. _Emi, what are you doing? You should have been here already an hour ago._ Emi's class has been over now, but it seems something's holding her down.

"Ohhhhh." Emi was showing off her recording to her classmates. "Pretty neat, huh?"

Everybody gazed at Emi's phone in wonder. She actually captured the music of the legendary Guile, firsthand. "Wow!" breathed one in rapt awe. "You're a true boss, Inami-san!"

"Didn't I tell you?" she replied with a wink. "Soon she will a member of our school idol group! Make sure to see our first live show, OK?"

"Whoahhh!"

"You're thick and fast with Guile-san now?"

"She was so nice in person!" She never did tell them she recorded everything from behind a curtain. "She was so graceful moving her fingers on the keyboard!"

They were interrupted by a P.A. broadcast. "We request Inami Emi to please proceed to the Student Council room, immediately."

Everybody sat in silence for a moment. "Yayyyy!" cheered Emi. "See how far our group is going? They're going to approve our application! Finally!"

Emi jumped up and dashed out of the classroom, arms out. She didn't quite notice the rest were still quiet. They kinda knew a P.A. broadcast was not for approving clubs.

Arriving at the door of the office, she straightened herself and made a show of grooming herself. Important people like her meeting important people like the Student Council means she must look important, too. With great ceremony, she opened the door.

And Guile was there, in the flesh!

Emi jaw hung visibly. She could not register the fact for a moment, and wouldn't have snapped out of it for another five minutes if hasn't noticed the Student President standing there, also.

"Wah!" She was caught off guard. "M-Miss President!"

Yoshino Suzuki approached Emi till they were in breathing distance, something she did not usually do. This must be serious business.

"Ahahahah," said Emi nervously. She had hoped it was the relatively nice VP who would receive her, but there were only the three of them right now. Guile didn't look amused either. So, there you go, Emi. A fantasy scene of meeting Guile in the Student Council, only likely not to announce her membership.

"Inami-san," began Yoshino in a grave tone. "We hear you have been going around the second-year classes."

Gulp.

"Aida-san values her privacy very greatly, if I must say so. She wasn't put here to be a plaything of the public. Her family are known in the medical field and will soon move to Virginia."

Emi found her words. "And so? Why bother about reputation if the school's closing?"

Yoshino's lip tightened. This will be one tough nut to crack. "I understand that you were trying to keep this school from closing."

"That is why we need people like Guile-san. If the studentry is inspired by her gift for music, no one would want the school to close."

"I told you she was not meant for the public, she..."

"Ehem," interrupted the redhead. "I keeping hearing this nickname going around. Again, it's not Guile, its..."

"Smile!" Emi finished for her. To Yoshino, "She will make everyone smile again! She will bring back life to the school again!"

"The board has spoken, Inami." She didn't bother anymore with the honorifics. "The school is to end. And so is your club." She caught herself. "No, sorry. You have no club. I mean your _illegal_ activities. Stop this instant or I will have to take action on you."

"What's so illegal about what we do? We're just practicing dances and stuff like the other student groups. There are loads and loads of impromptu groups all over the campus. You're the ones who refuse to recognize us."

"And yes," rebutted Yoshino, "we have the authority not to. Stop this instant. Apologize to Aida-san, then put your apology in writing, and then delete your recording from your phone."

Emi's fist clenched and her eyes grew hard. She looked ready to punch the Student president, but next response had never been calmer.

"No, I will not. I cannot."

"Well, then," she replied in equal calm. "I guess your suspension is in order. I'll have your violation communicated to the board."

"My, my," said a voice. The vice president Komiya appeared in the doorway behind Emi, surprising Miss Aida, but Yoshino kept staring at Emi as if she didn't see her. "When did we last suspend a student out of defying the personal orders of a Student president? My, such absolute power Student councils wield in this country."

"She was violating the privacy of Aida-san."

"Go ahead," said Emi. "Suspend me. Destroy this group. The school's closing, anyway. No record of mine in this shack of an institution from will matter one bit."

"But it does, Inami-san, it does," smiled Aina at her. She went over to Aida-san. "I have heard your music. Everybody were sharing the recording on their phones all along the corridor this morning. Congratulations." Her smile was the warm, motherly variety she usually affected.

She was flustered red. "No, no, please! Please, Vice President, stop it right now!"

"Aina!" snapped Yoshino. "You are actually coddling these crimes?"

She only laughed softly at herself. There was an authenticity about her that muffled the two even in the heat of anger. "Aida-san. When I said it, I really meant it. Everybody loves your playing, much as I do. But I regret to say that you are the one at fault here."

They were all stunned.

"Nobody said the Music room was any student's property."

Which means that it was a public space, and anyone playing the piano there cannot claim privacy. The implications hit Yoshino so hard and fast she could not craft a response directly. But she felt obliged to resist. "This person eavesdropped on a student. If someone didn't want to show their playing to you, you must respect that decision. It is like respecting her as a person."

"Uh-huh," agreed Aina. "Therefore," she said now turning to Emi, "you will come up here and apologize in front of Aida-sensei. But until the board passes a resolution that eavesdropping on a student is to be penalized, you cannot be charged for suspension."

Emi resolved herself and went before Aida. She bowed and said. "Aida-san, I am sorry for spying on you the other day. Please don't see it as disrespect. I love your piano, much as everyone else does. Please! Be one of us! I beg you!" She now looked directly at her and held her hands. "Don't you care about your school? Don't you care about everyone who learns here, who makes it their second home? Don't you?"

Aida returned the earnest with hostility. She threw Emi off of her and said, "I am NOT a musician! I will NEVER get into music! That's FINAL!"

She stormed out of the Council room.

Yoshino gazed hard at Emi. "You... You have the temerity to recruit in front of us?" she said very coldly.

Aina was about to speak up, but then decided she spoke enough for today, and went to the desk with a shrug.

Emi was delivered a suspension that same afternoon.

* * *

The rain splashed against the dorm window as Emi looked out of it, but she wasn't lonely, no, she was more bored than sad, but the melancholy was there. She only smiled bleakly to herself. Half of her still could not believe people could be so dense, while the other half was divided between laughing it off and wanting to sleep rather than go back to school and its madness...

And yet, another part was concerned over Aya.

 _Poor kid,_ she thought. More than anyone, she was the one who wanted the school to stay so badly. She will have to face it up to Suzuki herself now, and she wasn't sure she could handle it like she herself did. And Suzuko. Maybe she was just won over to the dark side. No problems with Iida and Yurika, they joined out of one's gripe and wouldn't so much as look back.

She planted her chin on the windowsill and let the drowsiness wash over her. Hopefully, by the time she wakes up, the rain would be over.

Bright colors arrested her attention. She jumped up and looked out. Even through the downpour the two umbrellas stood out. No, there were actually four.

"What on earth?!" Iida has just returned Emi's dictionary, in a plastic bag and dripping with mustard. "How did you even get this?"

Aya spoke up, in shame. "Takatsuki-san came up the other day and asked me for the dictionary. The only one I had that time was the one I borrowed from you. I didn't want to give it away without telling you first, but she said,

 _We're chums now, right? Are you going to deny your co-star a stupid book?_

"And I was having a sandwich at the cafeteria with the dictionary there," added Iida, "and I didn't realize I was eating the thing right above it. It's not my fault."

"Oh yes it is!" cried Emi.

"I wasn't planning to ruin it! What kind of weirdo would put mustard on a book for the laughs of it?"

"It's so cold outside!" injected Suzuko. She forced herself to. "W-We are soaking. Aren't you going to have a little something for us?" It was awkward for to blurt out something against her manners, but she trusted feisty little Emi to take it in stride. "Well?"

Pretty soon, everybody got settled. "Where do you practice now?" Emi asked Suzuko over hot tea.

"We're still in school, actually. When the student body heard that Suzuki suspended you there were a lot of complaints going at the Council room. They said you were thrown out illegally. Even the board was discussing the commotion."

"So our group is still doing fine?"

Aya shook her head sadly. "We can't practice so well without you around."

"Tch," dismissed Emi. "There are four of you, see? You'll make it."

"It is awkward to carry out any rehearsals while there was an issue going on about you," said Iida. "Of course we'd be affected."

Emi played on her hair thoughtfully. "If the protest goes on in our favor, we can force Suzuki to make up for it by approving our club."

"More than that," said Suzuko. "We could have the auditorium reserved for our performance."

"The truth is," Yurika said, "there is already talk that the VP said we could actually use the auditorium for exactly one performance. Komiya-san seems like a nice person, so there's good reason to believe it."

"Uwooo!" exclaimed Emi. "That's awesome!" Aya and the rest could only nod and smile in agreement. Emi's head was spinning with delight. "We're now a real idol group!"

"Except," cautioned Suzuko, "we have no song of our own. We can't cook up enough lyrics in time. We will have to get an existing one for now and concentrate on our rendition."

"Then so be it. We will show the world what we can do."

* * *

Emi returned to school amidst great cheering, much to the seething chagrin of Yoshino Suzuki. She will be sure to exact her revenge.

Aina Komiya gave the girls their schedule for the one time performance. It was a Friday. "You must be able to attract a huge following, or we will have you disband. No excuses. If it weren't for the crowd you would have been banned for good."

Later that afternoon all they did was pore over heaps of songs, and argue over each one. They'll have to work fast.

"I can't give a high pitch for that song," said Aya. "I'd squeak."

"No," disagreed Suzuko. "You don't need a pitch for this. It will be fine!"

"Nah," replied Iida. "It would sound weird in a low pitch. That was sung by a soprano in the original."

"Well," defended Suzuko, "can't we alter it to our own taste? Weren't we supposed to come up with our own version?"

"Bah," complained Emi. "Make up your minds! At this rate, we'd still be pulling each other's hairs by Friday."

"Emi," said Suzuko. "If we are to make a debut, we should leave a lasting impression. We can't settle for anything less."

"So our lasting impression would be that of an upstart copycat stint that can't even make its own song." None of them could answer her. It has actually been hanging on their heads the whole time, they just couldn't say it as they have already agreed to use another song. "Arrrgh! It's that Suzuki! She really intended to give us less time to cheapen our performance!"

Aya could only sigh. "There's nothing we can do. We must put up with the Student council."

"Suzuki must be cooking up a scheme against us right now," said Emi. "If she does something to us I will never forgive her."

"Emi-chan," chided Aya. "We shouldn't let her get to us. The only way we can show it up to them, is to do our best."

"You're right," agreed Suzuko, somewhat tentatively. "But I do get the feel she is going to rig us up. We will have to try harder."

And so, great was their surprise when the next day a disc was found in Suzuko's locker.

"Ohhhh," ogled Emi, "is this the thing where someone will die in seven days if they play it?"

"It sure is," said Iida. "Except I hope it is Suzuki. Let's have it!"

They got a laptop and had it play. They were all spellbound. The piano that wafted out into the morning air was exquisite. It was undoubtedly Guile. But that tidbit was completely drowned out as they recognized the tune being played.

"This is..." Emi gasped. "The recording..."

"Someone..." said Suzuko. "Actually caught up on it."

Aya trailed along. "And sent it straight to us." Yurika and Iida just pressed closer to have a better listen. A number of passers-by outside the classroom door who chanced to hear the music stopped in their tracks and began to pile up.

The girls were even more stunned that it had _lyrics._ And someone was _singing_ it. It was Aida.

 _"I say..."_


	4. Breaktime

"Oh," said Emi, chancing upon Aya and Suzuko studying. "It's breaktime. If you keep this up the two of you will share the stage at the head of the graduating class! Two heads! Ick."

"Don't be silly, Emi," rebuked Suzuko. "We're just maximizing our time especially with Aya having trouble over Physics. And especially you should study extra, too."

"Mohhh," grumbled Emi. "What's a break for?" To Aya, "Hey, let's get happy right now!"

"Uhhh," said Aya, now quite undecided. She must admit Emi's quite the persuader.

"Emi, stop disturbing her. My, you're just as troublesome as ever."

"Well, now," said Emi, unmindful of Suzuko, "what do you choose? Physics, or Happy?"

"Emi, cut that out. If one enjoys what he does, even if it's Physics, isn't that also happiness? I know you want to have a good time, but I think we should know what comes first."

"What do you say... Physics... or Happy?"


	5. Chapter 4

Hello, everyone. YukagiTamiya here. Sorry if I might upload at a slower pace from here on. But rest assured that the updates will flow. The feedback from you guys, both reviews and views are quite encouraging. Thanks a lot for the support! :D

So here it is, Chapter 4.

* * *

 **The Day Before**

Dishes and glasses were clanking in the Aida household. They were in a high-end corner in another town, as befits their status as renown surgeons. The two maids were making haste setting down the table, hence the noise, but the family, Mr. and Mrs. Aida as well as their only child, a daughter, did not mind if that means they could get into breakfast quickly. Their time was precious and short.

The girl was not to be entrusted to a run-down dorm. Everyday after class the redhead princess is picked up by a chauffeur and driven two hours away from school, and back again every morning. It was so every single day, unfailing as clockwork, so much so it dulled the mind. It worked wonders to keep the girl placid and demure, and, not given over to talking like the other peasant students.

The father was speaking to someone over the phone right in the middle of breakfast. The mother was absorbed in the massage served to her every after the meal. She eats rather fast, so she could enjoy the treatment sooner. It was not until six o' clock rang out that they stirred and noticed their daughter.

"Haven't you finished yet?" asked the father.

She was twirling the pasta round and round absent-mindedly.

Only the piano in the Music room, in the sweetness of solitude, which she had thus far earned hard through painstaking timing to ensure no one else was around, relieved her amidst the monotone of her life. Now, however, it was destroyed. By that orange-headed upstart. Who dared touch her-and so tightly!- right in front of the Student council.

So now, she will make her move. Having been forced out into the open, she must join them if she is to continue with her beloved music. But... what will her family say?

"If you don't feel like finishing that," the mother remarked rather impatiently, I will have Sayuri wrap it up to go with your bento."

"Ah? Huh..." She suddenly realized she was the one they were talking to.

The mother sighed. "I will have you excused for the day if you're ill."

 _No, it's not that._ "I-I'm fine." Sorta.

"You don't look it," the father said. He stood to go. It was when he was already at the doorway and the mother has already risen from her seat that the resolve rushed into her like a high voltage.

"Papa-!"

They froze.

She lost her words. Just when she was at it! Her mouth hung and could only utter whimpers. "Papa..."

"If you have something to say, be quick about it. I must get dressed already, and so should you."

"Papa..."

She put her face further down, to hide her embarrassment, and it also made her look properly subdued, so the parents didn't press any further. They left her at the table to get ready for the workday.

* * *

 **Friday**

"Great!" beamed Emi over the dresses. "You're a whiz, Aya-chan."

She giggled softly, a bit embarrassed. It was her specialty, but she could still get overwhelmed by compliments.

After they donned it and had good full-bodied look at the mirror, Emi was satisfied, while Aya and Suzuko were awestruck. "Emi," said Suzuko in a quivering voice, "I knew it. We will have a splendid performance." She looked at Aya and got a look of bliss verging on tears. Aya nodded in agreement.

The next half-hour, that segment right before the curtain rises, saw the three busy fixing each other's hair. "I wonder what those two are up to now," said Emi, referring to Iida and Yurika. "They weren't showing up the whole time."

They were given the role of stage backup for this performance. Actually they had everything ready for the second-years, but now they were just standing on stage behind the curtain, terribly worried. "I'm not liking this," said Iida, after peeking through the heavy cloth.

"What are we going to tell them?" Yurika asked nervously.

"Maybe we should just cook up an excuse, like, 'the lights shorted out.' Or something."

"But Komiya-san said this is our only chance."

They could not bring themselves to report back to Emi, right up to moment they are about to perform. "Takatsuki-san, Furihata-san," said Emi gravely, "Let's do this. We need each other more strongly now."

Even there they could not find words. They left stiff-faced, deciding to just brace themselves for what lies beyond that heavy drape. Iida was boiling inside. She couldn't believe Suzuki could be so underhanded.

So now has come the moment. The two manned the control board off the side of the stage. The three basked in the sound of the raising curtain. Now they will face hundreds upon hundreds of...

Empty seats.

They couldn't believe it.

Turns out Suzuki called a general assembly without telling them, right at the same hour of their performance. She hoped that the fledgling group would quit the show. Bye bye, pesky club.

"What's the meaning of this?!" yelled Emi at the nonexistent crowd.

Suzuko and Aya gaped and seemed to stop breathing. What's going to happen to the school now?

"No..." Emi said desperately trying to prop herself up. "We got to perform. We have no other date!"

"There is no one!" Suzuko yelled back in pain. "There's no audience. There can be no concert with no audience! We're done for!"

"What have we been kidding ourselves with this whole time?! We even got ourselves into cheesy costumes now, we can't go back!"

"Emi-chan," Aya sobbed, "no one is going to see us in our outfit... you know that? No one."

"Emi!" Suzuko repeated, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Open your eyes! No audience... no concert!"

They were arrested by the sound of resolute footsteps. Iida walked right in front of the stage below them. Carrying a single cat, just barely out of being a kitten. She set it down at Emi's feet as they looked on in disbelief. The animal didn't even reach halfway up their shins.

"The size of the audience doesn't matter," said Iida. The scene looked like an insult, but her face was dead serious. "We must go on with the concert-nya!" And then softly, as though to herself, "Ganbare... nya?"

Aya and Suzuko were silently outraged, but Emi, ever the cheeky brat, responded, "Well then, perhaps you could get us something _smaller?"_

"..."

Yurika ran over and replaced the cat with a mini-videocam. It was smaller.

They all stopped despairing.

Emi smirked. _Little fools, you two._ "Alright, that will do."

After the cam had been properly set up on a tripod, the three stared resolutely at the lens. "Today... we have a single camera for our show," announced Emi, "but tomorrow there will be millions of cameras flashing at us all over this auditorium! A whole galaxy of twinkling stars! Yoshino Suzuki! We refuse to die!"

* * *

The president herself was at the box watching with an assistant.

* * *

Saturday saw both the Student council president and vice-president poring over the attendance of the general assembly. They had threatened the class representatives at the last minute, while Emi and company were busy at the auditorium. They were looking for absences, so they could impress on the offender that the president's word was law, and to warn her not to support Emi's group any further. What they found caught them off guard.

"Well, it was her song, anyway," shrugged Aina with a conceding smile.

The only student not in the list... was Guile.

"You think she attended the concert?" Yoshino asked.

"Well... I don't think she'd be dozing off somewhere."

"Shouldn't she be more indebted to me for siding with her over that piano?" She threw Aina a cold gaze. "It's your fault."

Aina only chuckled and set down a cup of tea before her. "Hai, hai. Come on, have some to soothe your nerves."

"You really feel you could get away with me?" In the end, though, she looked away and sighed, a wordless, "Oh yes, you could."

Oh, there's another one missing.

"Yocchi. Look."

She took the list of the third-years. When she saw who it was, she finally lost it with a hoarse wail and let her head hang back over her seat.

"Yocchi? A-Are you OK?"

* * *

Sure enough, the video from Friday was copied to a phone and passed along. First, it was the legendary Guile's piano music, and now, it was a full song. No wonder everybody was ecstatic. The Student council will be even harder put to suppress this wildfire now.

For the meantime Komiya lent them a used clubroom pending a review of their application.

"Ichi!"

"Ni!"

"San!"

"Yon!"

"Ahhh," grumbled Emi, "it's no good." They were at the long table. The clubroom, while clean, was filled with old posters and stuff giving it a very outdated air. "We might be spending the whole week refurbishing this place instead of practice, and we only have four members plus me."

"And two of them do only production work," added Iida ruefully.

"You want me to promote you to sanitation? So you could fix this place for us?"

"Bring it on, airhead."

Emi giggled. "Kidding~"

"We must bring at least a small wardrobe to put our outfit in," said Suzuko. "Since we only started we won't have too many dresses, right, Aya?"

"Um," she agreed. "Tomorrow I'll start on a new dress, and I plan to make it in an orchestral theme. What do you think?"

"I think our next performance will be outdoors," said Emi. "The next school event will be an open campus, so..." The event was to be set later that same week.

"Everything will depend there," Suzuko finished for her. "The junior high students will get to decide whether they want to pick our school or not. We must make sure to give a good impression."

"But everybody's upbeat with our show!" affirmed Aya. "If we make another live show, I'm sure the crowds will come this time. The junior high kids will be overwhelmed by the festive atmosphere."

Suzuko smiled. "Well? What do say, Emi?"

She closed her eyes, trying to think of further obstacles that would ruin their party, but at this point she honestly couldn't come up with anything other than the weather. When she opened her eyes, she only saw happy, excited looks from the rest. Everything was positive.

"I think this will be the best live we could ever have," said Yurika with delight.

"Nya," agreed Rin. "Even the Student council couldn't stop us. What could possibly go wrong now, nya?"

The door burst open with a loud bang.

Everybody nearly fell off their seats, but most of all Suzuko was horrified. "I-It's y-you?!" The intruder was a girl in sunglasses and face mask, that same student who assaulted her the other day at the corridor.

"It's me!" She tore off her disguises. "Goodbye!"

She was pretty.

"A-Ah, sure!" said Emi standing up. "We're going now..." Then, "Wait. This is OUR room, and this is OUR meeting!"

"Heheheh. I'd like to agree with you, but then why is there a picture of me in THAT CHART over there!"

They turned to see an old organizational chart off to the side. There was a single photo at the top. the rest of the chart was blank.

"Heh," said Emi. "So this was your HQ? For a one-man club?"

The girl went to the table and banged her open palm on it. "I am Sasami Kobayashi. I am the leader of the idol group Milky Ohms, a manga artist, I love Asuka Soryu Langley. I even cosplay her!"

"..."

Yurika felt obliged to intervene. "Umm, let's sit down and talk now, shall we? Aya-chan and I will get some tea, ne, Aya ch- What?"

She has fallen asleep again.

After laying her on a makeshift cot, Sasami delivered her ultimatum. "Give up your club before the Open Campus, or I will make sure I ruin your live show! This time, it won't be no people, it will be you messing up in front of people!"

"You have no right to tell us what to do!" returned Emi. "We are a duly recognized club! I can get you kicked out for blackmail!"

"Heh. Never heard someone say two lies in a row until now."

"What-" But she was stopped. Well, they weren't recognized just _yet,_ and to kick her out they'll have to ask _Yoshino._ Yikes.

"MY idol group was officially registered two years back."

"Well, then, miss official, where are your members? And I never heard of this Milky Ohms the whole time I was here. No members, no activities... It's a fake club!"

"A club stays while there is even one member. And I'm not giving up. Mine is the ONLY idol group in this school. Period."

"Whah? W-Who made that rule up?!"

"Err," Iida spoke up. "I think it says somewhere in the manual that once a group has been registered with the Student council, it stays on as long as it has a member. The thought is that it will be easier to recruit new manpower if the club already exists, so the ranks will be quickly replenished."

Emi drew back. "Ehhhh?!" She grabbed Iida by the collar. "Are you a spy? Show me your ID! What company are you working for?"

"Quit all this nonsense!" ordered Sasami. "Look here, vacate this place before class is out, or I'll have a little big something waiting for you on Open Campus day!"

"Terrorist!" Emi gritted her teeth in frustration. "No! You can't kick us out when we just settled here this morning! If you want you can bomb the Student council office 'coz it was Komiya-san who lent us this room! Now, scram!"

Obligatory power sparks ensue from their staring contest.

"Enough!" said Suzuko. "Ehem. Kobayashi-san, if you claim to be a performing group, could you at least show us some talent? Singing, dancing, posing... anything! We refuse to yield to a group without substance when we just had our first performance. Could you please oblige us?"

Sasami smirked. "Oh, so you ask for it? Humph. Be ready to be flattened by my appeal. I can cause you a heart attack. Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

She turned her back on them facing the window for dramatic effect. When she faced them again-

"Sasa-sasa-mi! I will blast your heart with a Sasa-sasa-mi! I'm Sasa-Sasami Kobayashi and I will put a smile on your heart whether you like it or not! Remember, it's Sasa-mi, and I Sasa-love you!"

It was surreal.

Emi got up and puked hard, but just to insult Sasami. "That's not even how it's done! Look, put up your fingers like this, and say, Nic-"

"Shut up! I'm the latest trend, and only I can create the newest fads around here."

In the end, the ruckus wasn't resolved and everyone was left very worried about Open Campus. If this business went on unfinished, not only would they face a very real risk of humiliation, they could find themselves facing Sasami before Suzuki and Komiya in the Student Council office, and they weren't quite sure Yoshino would judge in their favor.

* * *

The night before the Open Campus, Aya rolled over in bed still awake. Students were staying out the night in school, making preparations, putting up a festival, doing their best to ensure the middle-schoolers would choose their school and give it a further lease in life. Emi and Suzuko were hard at work, doing the brunt of the preps, while she and the two freshmen would come in early the next day for the finishing touches. But she might as well go there herself right now.

However, the weather turned for the worse, and, just as she finished showering, a downpour ensued. Her face fell. She will stuck here in this room, helpless, looking forward only to trouble the next day. If only her sleeping sickness would catch her now. That would be useful...

But the nightmares...

She decided sit by the bedside and wait till the rain ceased. The soft patter of raindrops on the roof and the lines of moisture on the windowpanes lulled her into lethargy. _Poor Emi-chan. Poor Suzuko-chan._ They had to put up with this on top of that Sasami person.

Distinct tapping jolted her back into awareness. But weren't those the raindrops? The sound wasn't that sharp, but it stood out enough.

She looked out. The rain was gone.

"Wah-"

Right outside the glass was a cat. "Neko-chan!" she said, opening the window. "You must be soaked." But it didn't come in. It wasn't seeking shelter, not at all. Tied to its tail was a note.

Gingerly, she reached out. She took the note and read to herself. "Greetings. Your next mission...

 _Mission? Next?!_

"Your next mission is to go to your new clubroom and find a box. You only have tonight. The next step from there will be clear once you have it."


	6. You chose Happy

Please enjoy this little stint while I finish the finalized Chapter 6. ;)

* * *

"So," insisted Emi, "Physics, or Happy?"

"Oh no," groaned Suzuko. "Emi, please let the two of us get done first."

"I guess..." mused Aya. "I guess I'd like to get Happy, ne, Suzuko-chan?"

"What?!" She nearly fell off her chair. "Are you guys serious?"

"OK, Aya, let's make some happiness!" cheered Emi. "Follow after me... Oohhhh... I'm OK! I'm OK!"

"I'm OK! I'm OK!"

"Are you nuts?!" exclaimed Suzuko.

"Come on, Suzie," said Emi. "Get in the loop." Back to Aya, "Let's smile! Let's smile!"

"Let's smile! Let's smile!"

"I'm OK! I'm OK!"

"Let's smile! Let's smile!"

"I'm OK! I'm OK!"

"Ganbatte! Ganbatte!"

"Ganbatte! Ganbatte!"

Suzuko planted her face on the table. "You are hopeless..."

"Say, Emi-chan," Aya said, "I think we could start a Happy revolution right now!"

"You're right! Come on, Suzie, join us!"

"No way! I-I can't be that silly." However, she sensed the craze coming over her. "Oh no... No. No. NOOOOO!"

X X X X

"I'm OK! I'm OK! Ganbatte! Ganbatte!" Suzuko was going wild.

"We could go even further!" Aya said excitedly. "Let's go!"

"I'm OK! I'm OK! I'm OK! I'm OK!" cheered Suzuko.

X X X X

VP Aina was the first person they met at the hallway. "Oh? What do we have here?" she asked.

"Come on, Komiya-san," urged Emi. "Let's smile! Let's smile!"

X X X X

"I'm OK! I'm OK!" Aina looked very pleased with herself.

Later, they ran into Iida at the courtyard. "Eeewww!" she cried. "Get off of me!"

X X X X

"I'm OK! I'm OK! Nya-nya!"

"I can feel it!" said Aya. "Everybody... They're coming to us!"

Indeed. The students were peeking out. The halls were being bedecked with balloons.

They met Yurika at the rooftop. "I'm OK! I'm OK," yelled Yurika. She finally got over her shyness.

And then they met Guile at the cafeteria. "I'm OK! I'm OK!" she said with difficulty, and a blush of embarrassment.

The director joined the fray. "Let's smile! Let's smile"

The alpacas at the stables were swaying to the beat. "Ganbatte! Ganbatte!" everybody were shouting.

X X X X

Finally they found Sasami at the baseball field. "W-What is wrong with you all?!" she yelled.

"The world is changing before our eyes," said Emi, rapt. "Can't you feel it? I am sure you could!"

"Never! I will NOT stoop to you! You're insane!"

"I'm happy, you're happy, too!" Aya affirmed. "Let's smile! Let's smile!"

"No! Never! No! Nooooooo!"

X X X X

"I'm OK! I'm OK!" Sasami chanted with gusto. "Let's smile! Let's smile!"

"Isn't it great, Emi-chan?" said Aya trembling with delight. "I'm OK! I'm OK!"

"Indeed," she replied. "This will never stop. "Iku yo! Ganbatte! Ganbatte!"

X X X X

From outer space one could see the Earth bathed in a soft pink glow, spreading outward from Japan. The happy making revolution had taken over the world.

 **THE END.**

* * *

Yoshino appeared in the Student Council office. "This can't go on. Stop it this instant!"

* * *

"Oh," Aya said. They were in the room studying Physics with Suzuko. Emi has just barged in. "I was spacing out, wasn't I..."

"Well, what do you say, Aya? Physics, or Happy?"

"Errr, I think I like the sound of 'Nico?' "


	7. Chapter 5

Emi and Suzuko set up two tents at the courtyard. One was where they shared a sleeping bag, and the other was for supplies. In between, a makeshift stage was almost complete, lacking mostly decorations.

Aya arrived nearly out of breath. "Emi-chan! Suzuko-chan!" she called.

It took nearly ten minutes for someone to stir from the inside, and another twenty for Emi to poke her head out. "Mohhhh. I was just drifting to sleep." Suzuko crawled out after her.

Afterwards, they sat on the stage and regarded the note from Aya. "You threw us out of bed just for a prank?" Emi grumbled sleepily.

"I'm sorry. But it was most unusual. It was sent to me by a cat."

Emi raised an eyebrow and would have laughed if she wasn't drowsy. She read lazily. "Greetings. Your next mission..." Yawn. She finished the rest without a word. "Is this all?"

"Well... I guess so."

"It didn't even say what kind or color of box we were supposed to look for. This is definitely a prank."

"I-I don't know about you, but I don't think a simple prank would go so far as to tie a note on the tail of a cat."

Suzuko was thunderstruck. "Emi..."

"What? You're taking the bait? We got things to do and a terrorist to look out for. We don't have time."

"Emi, I also received a note like this. Me and Takatsuki-san. It was also tied to a cat's tail."

Aya gasped. "Suzuko-chan. No wonder the note I got said 'next.' "

Emi planted an open palm on her forehead. "What kind of mass delusion is this? Wait. Maybe somebody's been targeting us!"

"I don't know," said Suzuko, "but the first time we got the note, we simply went and cleaned a room, and that was that."

"Alright," Emi said with resolve. "We're going to find out who's really behind this." She threw a heroic gaze towards the main school building. Which was completely dark. Her seriousness melted away.

"Uh, guys? A-Are we really going there right now?"

"..."

Suzuko responded by throwing her a flashlight.

They traversed the building in a most unusual formation. They were lining up one right behind the other at a crawling pace, but the front girl holding the flashlight kept getting switched back and forth. Nobody coveted the leader position in this particular mission.

Finally, Suzuko had enough. "Come on! We have to fix who gets to lead. We will choose her based on... on which of us knows the way to the clubroom."

Nobody raised a hand. "Um," said Emi, "I think all of us knows where the clubroom is.

Evem Yurika and Iida."

"OK. Well, then, which of us has played Resident Dead?"

Aya and Suzuko raised their hands, and they stared hard at Emi, who they knew had a PS4 at her dorm. Very gingerly, she raised her hand, halfway.

"So all of us has experience walking through the dark, even just in games. Aya, which Resident Dead did you play?"

"Resident Dead 1. As in the very first game."

"Resident Dead 2," Suzuko quickly followed.

Now they turned to Emi. "Resident Dead... Resident Dead 4."

So it was Emi who'll get to be in front.

The flashlight wasn't much help. The darkness was so thick the light continued to only about four paces in front of them, and then visibility was completely blocked by pitch black. It was even more dreadful once they got to the stairs.

"Wah!" Aya lost her footing and would have fallen if Suzuko didn't catch her in time.

"Hey!" complained Emi. "Quit the jump scares!"

"Calm down!" scolded Suzuko. "We don't want to make a disturbance in the middle of the night."

"Who's disturbing whom?! There's nobody else here to catch us."

Not a little offended, Suzuko took the flashlight and went on ahead. "Then why are we cowering here as if there were?"

She pushed on through the corridor. She knew where the clubroom was, anyway. And she got the keys. If they get lost creeping in the dark, it will be their business.

Suddenly she stopped.

She couldn't have meant to actually leave them in the dark, could she? She turned around. She was alone, a single flimsy bubble of light in the inky depths of absolute black.

A deathly chill seized her. Something else is here.

"Emi?" she yelled. "A-Aya?" Her voice fell into a whimper. "Anyone?"

She found herself gagged and pinned to the floor. A hiss of a whisper stung her ears.

"Stay down!"

The terror was now paralyzing. But she managed to speak.

"E-Emi?"

"Don't make a move! Am I clear?"

"Where's Aya?"

"On the floor, too. Stay down."

Slowly, she let go of her and stood in the dark. From her vantage point Suzuko could make out Emi's outline, and the manner in which she bore herself. Gone were the traces of fear and cowering. Emi seemed to tower above her, as though there was an open sky and she was gazing out to it, daring the heavens.

A sharp rush of wind jolted Suzuko and made her face down. What's going on? Very quickly, the atmosphere of fear turned into one of excited tension. She felt that Emi was flashing one of signature toothy grins of relish. Her presence was so strong it pushed through the darkness itself.

"Suzuko-chan!" she commanded. "Throw me something!"

"B-But there's nothing-"

 _"Throw me something! "_

She immediately complied, groping around, and, miraculously, her hand found a baseball bat. She flung it into the darkness and heard her hand catch it.

"Emi, what was that?"

"An unknown lifeform. Stay down!"

Her answers only made her more confused.

The next thing she knew, Emi was swinging the bat furiously. She distinctly made out the sound of flapping wings, large ones, and soon enough, it was all over with the breaking of a window. Emi has prevailed.

It was still a few more minutes before Suzuko got up. By then, Emi has stopped catching her breath.

"Come on," she said, "Let's get Aya."

The doorknob was a bit rusty from years of disuse and Suzuko was having some difficulty unlocking the room. This place needs a good fix pretty soon.

'Ne, Emi-chan," asked Aya. "What was it we faced back there?"

She held up a single feather in her hand, much to Aya's astonishment. "It's an eagle. A sea eagle I think. I'd just been to Hokkaido and it followed me all the way here."

Aya had nothing to say. Simply registering Emi's answer was a handful already.

They finally got into the room. They found the lights and turned them on. "Which box should we begin with?" said Aya.

"All of them!" declared Emi seizing and emptying the first boxes she could lay her hands on. "We got no clue," she panted from exertion, "so we have no choice."

Later, the pace was more relaxed as they perused all sorts of interesting things from the boxes. "Oh," said Aya. "Look. These are old costumes."

"You're right," said Suzuko. She looked at Emi. "Do you think this is the group led by Kobayashi-san?"

She took out each dress one by one. "Nope. These are too old."

Later, they found layers of posters. "Look!" said Aya. "It's Morning Mouse." A 90s group.

They scrambled to take a peek. "Ohh!" ogled Emi. "I remember this! They performed at elementary schools all over the country. Everybody wanted to be like them." She sang a tune from the group, but failed to remember most lyrics. "Ehehe. I know that the grade schoolers who saw them were solid fans way into junior high."

Aya looked at the mostly-empty organizational chart. "Including Kobayashi-san?"

The three of them approached the chart, solemnly, looking at a piece of history. Who were those people Sasami led? Did they abandon her? Were they the ones who removed their photos? Aya could play out in her mind the disagreements that must have happened. Until they couldn't stand each other. Until they left. Until Sasami was the only one remaining. How sad was it to be abandoned, regardless of whose fault it was?

"Emi-chan," said Aya. "I think Sasami-san needs us."

They all looked significantly at each other. Suddenly, their worries seemed to have evaporated. "Well, then," said Suzuko, standing up, "we might as well have a short nap. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

Emi and Suzuko stood to leave while Aya put the things back in place. It was then that she noticed something taped to the chart, off to the side from Sasami's photo. She got up and took it.

"Oh. Another note."

* * *

It was actually busy way earlier than usual. Everything was just about being lit dimly by the incoming sunrise when the three second-years stirred, but the two first-years were already hard at work setting up the stage. And they still have to change into their outfit later. There wasn't a minute to waste. They sprang up. In an hour the entire stage was ready and the audio setup was already booming.

As early as seven the kids from junior high started to pour in with their parents and some other community folk. The director and the board decided to call in everyone and have the program start earlier than usual. Emi and company were scrambling to get ready. For their first activity, Yurika had an origami demonstration while Suzuko set up calligraphy and poetry. The rest of the group would be having their own presentations after them.

And then, in the afternoon, would come the biggie.

Immediately after lunch, the group went about to set up the stage and don their outfit for their live show. Even then the crowds were gathering. There haven't been such a concert at school in a long time, and these girls onstage were the people who brought the music of Guile to the world.

Emi stepped forward to address the crowd. "Eheheh. We were supposed to pull a comedy stunt first."

"Oh, Emi," Suzuko said to herself. But the crowd was already starting to roar at Emi, egging them on to perform, so she finally obliged them, seeing it off with a speech.

"I am so flattered that everybody is showing us this much love on this fine afternoon. I know. It wasn't so long ago that we were in that empty hall, but now I can see that if other wannabe groups can step from zero to one... WEhave just stepped from from _zero... to one hundred! And thirty-five!"_

Great was the uproar over this part.

"And so," she continued, "I want very much to show how much we owe you this afternoon. So much that I want to share with you, not just an afternoon, but a lifetime, on this stage, singing for all of you.

"Not only do we want to dedicate this song to our fans standing with us here, but also..." She looked straight at a portion of the crowd to a certain someone. She couldn't really see her among the throng, but she knew she was right there on that exact spot. "But also to all who have ever loved the music, the life on stage, everyone who, whether they kept or lost their audience, they never lost their love for the music! I love you. I love you all!"

A deep silence reigned in the crowd.

"Therefore, this song goes to show that..." All five of them now chorused. _"This for you is a live, but for us, it is our life!"_

The music began to roll. Their bodies began to sway to the beat. The silence burst into cheering once they hit the high part of the song. Loud was the clamor over them, but the words of the song, and most especially the feeling, stood out, could be heard distinctly, and communicated itself effortlessly through the entirety of the school grounds. Everybody outside dropped what they were doing to feel the rhythms emanating from the voices and the hearts of those five young ladies. What passion, indeed!

One figure, in shades and face mask, stalked off the field and dropped her two smoke bombs, unused, into the trash bin.

When they had finished, they were swimming in the sheer admiration of everyone.

They bounded off the stage and group-hugged in tears. "We made it!" exulted Yurika. "It's... It's a waking dream!"

They looked at each other through misted eyes. They knew the show was a success. The Open Campus was saved. The middle-schoolers were captivated. The school will grind on for at least another year.

Aya, however, dared to break their reverie. "Guys, I think we must still do something." But Emi was unfazed. She looked straight at her and said,

"Tell us about it. Now."

* * *

Guile held the flute in her hands tightly, still unsure if she can make the shift from keys to wind. But she has to. Out in this grove, tucked well behind the old Home Industries shed, no one would hear. She would steal away to the shade of this huge katsura tree, flute easily tucked into her coat, and let herself go as she did with the piano, that old regrettable piece she cannot carry.

She blew tentatively and make a grating squeak. That's alright. She must start somewhere. She will blow a few more notes, and from there, she would rebuild her repertoire. She doesn't have to push it right now.

"You must be having a hard time," said Aya.

 _No!_ She turned round to see where it came from. But she knew. They found her! And it was those same rascals who threw her out of the Music room. Stay calm, girl, she told herself. This is your chance. This time, make it clear to them you won't be pushed away any longer. Your privacy will be respected. She rapidly listed down the words she would throw at the intruders.

"If you can't have the courage to tell them how much you love to play," said Emi from somewhere, "you will forever be hiding. You will be forever running away. Not from us."

"How could you possibly know?!" Guile demanded. Even she was surprised. The words just escaped her. There's no taking it back now, though.

Slowly, all five members emerged form behind the katsura tree. They were smiling at her tenderly. They weren't in the least bit threatened. Aya stepped forward, showed her the note she found at the clubroom, on which was drawn a single leaf from a katsura. She happened to know where the only katsura tree on campus grew. She took Guile's hand, and gently placed the note on her open palm, before before closing it, telling her silently it is hers. "Welcome to our group, Aida-sensei."

The rest smiled and giggled invitingly.

"You watched us at the auditorium," said Iida, "but you didn't show up at our live today." She smirked mischievously and said playfully. "That's unfair of you, nya!"

"Unfair. Unfair. Unfair." They aimed to overwhelm her to silence.

Guile wanted to fight back, but an emerging happiness swelled from within her. How could they have known? Who could have somehow told them? That this is what she really craved for in her heart all along?

* * *

Dishes and glasses were clanking in the Aida household. They were in a high-end corner in another town, as befits their status as renown surgeons. The two maids were making haste setting down the table, hence the noise, but the family, Mr. and Mrs. Aida as well as their only child, a daughter, did not mind if that means they could get into breakfast quickly. Their time was precious and short.

The girl was not to be entrusted to a run-down dorm. Everyday after class the redhead princess is picked up by a chauffeur and driven two hours away from school, and back again every morning. It was so every single day, unfailing as clockwork, so much so it dulled the mind. It worked wonders to keep the girl placid and demure, and, not given over to talking like the other peasant students.

The father was speaking to someone over the phone right in the middle of breakfast. The mother was absorbed in the massage served to her every after the meal. She eats rather fast, so she could enjoy the treatment sooner. It was not until six o' clock rang out that they stirred and noticed their daughter.

"Haven't you finished yet?" asked the father.

She was twirling the pasta round and round absent-mindedly.

Only the piano in the Music room, in the sweetness of solitude, which she had thus far earned hard through painstaking timing to ensure no one else was around, relieved her amidst the monotone of her life. Now, however, it was destroyed. By that orange-headed upstart. Who dared touch her-and so tightly!- right in front of the Student council.

"If you don't feel like finishing that," the mother remarked rather impatiently, I will have Sayuri wrap it up to go with your bento."

"Ah? Huh..." She suddenly realized she was the one they were talking to.

The mother sighed. "I will have you excused for the day if you're ill."

 _No, it's not that._ "I-I'm fine." Sorta.

"You don't look it," the father said. He stood to go. It was when he was already at the doorway and the mother has already risen from her seat that the resolve rushed into her like a high voltage.

"Papa-!"

They froze.

She lost her words. Just when she was at it! Her mouth hung and could only utter whimpers. "Papa..."

"If you have something to say, be quick about it. I must get dressed already, and so should you."

"Papa..." The words she lost were actually just the refined, convoluted preambles to what she really wants to say. The pressure of time now made her blunt.

"I'm joining a club."

"..."

For a moment she was embarrassed, but now she has to finish everything. "It is a musical group. I... I'm playing at school... And... singing, maybe."

"Dear," said the mother, "you do not need to join any club. Your future is assured. You're having one of the top jobs in our hospital when you graduate university."

"The hospital is opening next month," the father informed her. "We want people to know that it will continue to be run by the Aidas. Our reputation is becoming national, child."

"Don't tell me you're still thinking of being a pianist," said the mother with just the slightest sting in her voice. Unfortunately, the girl was sensitive enough to pick such things out and lowered her face to hide her pain.

"Mama," she managed, "I-I only want to play in school. It's closing next year. I... I want to do something at least before it's gone."

The father only stared at her, wanting to say that it was just a school, and someone who's career is assured shouldn't fret over the end of the world even, but he saw his wife's expression, one of frustration over a childish request, though giving in anyway. The lady reinforced it with a shrug. It's just a silly club. "But you must _promise_ ," she said to her daughter, "that this will be the last time you'll ever indulge in music." She was talking in the tone of one making a great concession. "I give you _one_ year for your music-one, and no more! After this, you will return _us_ the favor and focus on science so we could get you into medicine.

"Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, Mama."

She put her face further down, this time to hide her joy, and it also made her look properly subdued, so the parents didn't press any further. They left her at the table to get ready for the workday.


	8. Commercial

(Emi does a little endorsing on her free time.)

"Hello, anime fans.

"Look at your anime pop group, now to back to us. Now back to yours. Now back to us. Sadly, they are not us. But if they stopped hiring a producer and did it our way they could shine like they're us.

"Look down, back up. Where are we? We're on a boat. With the group your group could sing like. What's in your hand? I have it. It's an oyster with two scouting tickets to that dream UR you love. Look again. The tickets are now love gems! Anything's possible when...

A jetski suddenly lands on deck, startling Emi. The rider yells,

"Our group sings like POWER!"

She gets off and badmouths Emi. "Hey, this is a boat, you're in Numazu, and this is OUR commercial!"

Emi smirks. "I'd like to agree with you, but then why are we... on an alpaca?" Oh, they're actually both riding on an alpaca on the boat!

"Oh no! Their signature pet!" She poofs out in a blast of smoke and a disembodied voice shouting, _Chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-CHIKARA!_


	9. Chapter 6

**Konnichiwa, minna-san, YukagiTamiya here.**

 **I was encouraged by the support you guys have been showing me. Now, it has been playing in my mind if I could make this a two-cour fic of maybe 12 chaps each, not counting the extras. I also get busy outside of writing so I guess we'll just have to see.**

 **Oh, and try hunting for shout-outs. They can be easy to find throughout the story especially if you knew what it was beforehand.**

 **Everyone, please enjoy. Chapter 6 right here.**

* * *

Emi and company: she, Suzuko, Yurika, Aya, Iida, and finally the new recruit Guile, stood outside the closed door of the Student Council room, like a host of paparazzi. Awaiting what they were sure was coming, anyway: The approval of the student government for their club.

The Open Campus event was a smashing success. They got mostly positive responses from both the junior high-schoolers and their parents. There was even a short coverage by a local newspaper.

The former complainant, Guile, who very nearly became the root of their disbandment, was on their side.

There are now six of them.

What could possibly hold them back now?

Aina Komiya opened the door and was surprised to find them there. "Oh? Why, hello... Do we have an appointment with you?"

Emi was aghast. "D-Didn't your secretary tell us to wait here? Did we stand about here for nothing?"

"I'm afraid so," she said with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "That kid wasn't a secretary, we just had her in to sort out some papers. Anything we can help you with?"

 _What do you mean, Anything you can help us with? Shouldn't it be obvious by now?_ "Ehem." She tried to compose herself. "I'm pleased to announce that-"

"Ohhh," Komiya interrupted. "You got Aida-san with you. That's an improvement, I must say."

"That's not all! We have just-!"

"Yocchi is having a headache right now," the VP apologized. "If you want to tell us something, you could put it in writing for us to review tomorrow."

 _You're just about reviewing it tomorrow? When are we getting our answer, then?_ "Matte! We have plenty of developments to report-" _Fump,_ went the door. Try again, as the promos would have it.

"Aggggghhh!" ranted Emi back at the clubroom. "They haven't noticed us one bit! What do they want us to do, stage a coup?"

"Emi-chan," said Yurika, "it's not like we need instant official recognition for us to get on with our practices. Didn't VP already give us this room? As long as they don't stop us, we'll just keep going, ne, Rippa-chan?"

"Think of this, Inami," seconded Iida. "We could just practice on until they get tired of us, and then they will notice us. Time is our side, especially with everything happening in our favor. In fact, they should be the ones coming and grovelling to us, begging to have us on the club roster."

Guile made a small face. "It's sounds right on paper, but I can hardly imagine Suzuki begging us. We all know her."

Emi, for her part, could, and actually did imagine just that, and thought it was hilarious. The image in her head of Yoshino Suzuki making a pleading face was such a bizarre combination it forced her to stifle a laugh.

"I hope they won't mind if we keep doing live shows," said Aya.

Suzuko nodded in agreement. "As long as the student body wants us, I don 't think the council has any grounds to suppress us. Likewise, if we lost our audience, they won't have to ban us, we'll simply wither away on our own."

"Iya," said Emi. "If we lost our audience, we'll win them back. Umm!" she nodded to drive her point.

"Well, then," said Guile, "I suppose I will start composing some music tomorrow. You want to come along at the music room?"

"Aren't they going to crowd on you now that you'll play in the open?" asked Suzuko.

"There's no need for me to hide now," she replied with a tender smile. "Though I'll still be making the most special songs at home."

"Alright!" affirmed Emi. "We'll now get down to busi-"

Slam!

They were startled to find Sasami at the door again. She looked mad. Yurika clung onto Iida's arm, and Aya's hands shook just a bit. But Emi quickly recomposed herself. "Oh. So you've come to surrender. Though I must say slamming the door of your conquerors is not stylish enough, ne, Kobayashi?"

Kobayashi did not respond, but look around in a penetrating gaze until her eyes landed on Guile. "You!" she announced with an outstretched finger at her. "I will not lose to you!"

Everybody's heads dropped at this new annoyance. "What is it all about this time?" Suzuko chuckled nervously.

"I see you were able to bring the legend into your camp. Don't expect me to sit by and get outshined."

"L-Legend?!" protested Guile. She stood up. "I don't play the piano to impress others! I love my music with only the purest intent. People like you who use music to glorify themselves don't deserve to perform at all!"

Such an impassioned retort from the once-elusive Guile.

"Yeah!" agreed Emi, also standing up to face her. "There's nothing you can do against all of us. If you want to form your own band, then be our guest. We won't mind you one bit. People will know Kobayashi-dom as those fellows who try hard to follow the act of others."

Sasami ruffled her hair for emphasis. "You don't get it! I'm here to _join_ you! I'll prove to everyone I'm the brightest star around here, and I will overshadow Guile and regain my title as school legend!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

 ** _"Ehhhhh?!"_** they all chorused.

"No way," said Emi. "You can't be part of us."

"Oh yeah? Well who gave you the right to keep me out?"

"I'm the leader around here!"

"Heh? How could an unapproved club have a leader? Hah? While I am a legit president of a legit idol club that was here centuries before you!"

"How can a 'legit club' have only a president?"

Suzuko now stepped forward. "If you don't think Emi can lead us, then you will have to face all of us."

On cue, the rest stepped forward: Iida, Yurika, Guile, and...

Aya?

"Guys," she said, "I-I think you're having it all wrong."

They all rushed to her. "What did she do to you?!" demanded Emi shaking her up. "Did she kidnap you? Did she feed you something? Answer me!"

"Emi-chan!" she snapped, throwing her off. She took a deep breath to relieve herself. "Minna, you have forgotten the reason why we came up here in the middle of the night, just before the open campus."

They all took a moment to let her words sink in. Finally, Emi spoke up. "No, Aya-chan. We didn't really forget. We know how dedicated Kobayashi-san was. We all know that she worked hard." She looked at the chart in the corner. "I guess... Perhaps she messed up even harder than we had."

A sudden thought struck Suzuko. Of course! It was so obvious. She now turned to Sasami with a tender expression, and everybody followed suit. Sasami needed a chance to rebuild herself as an artist. If anything, though, it unsettled her mightily, and she had to respond. "Shut up!" she yelled. "I'm here to show you how an idol group is done!"

She marched forward to the whiteboard, to everyone's dismay, and began to whip out a lecture so fast and furious none of them could answer for a while.

She finished the whole thing with: "A leader should be super-dedicated to music and everything live! She must be a mental pillar to enitre team! Therefore, I am the most qualified to be leader of this group!

"Did you get everything?!"

"..."

"Oh yes," said Emi. "I do get you're a mental breakdown."

Sasami gritted her teeth in frustration. "Alright! I can see... that I will have to teach you... _once again! Sasa-"_

Emi saw it coming. "N-No, no! Enough! We believe you. Just..."

"If you don't shape up, I will make all of you do it!"

This sent a collective chill down everyone's spines and elicited a group gasp.

"Emi-chan," smiled Aya nervously, "I really do think we must give Kobayashi-san a chance."

* * *

It was therefore decided, by the leader Kobayashi, that the group will perform a publicity event. And on Wednesday they did. "You think they will receive us well in this?" asked Yurika as they hid in the bushes.

"This costume is a bit heavy," complained Iida. "And it jingles a lot."

"Quit yelping like that and just do as I say!" snapped Kobayashi. Even she was getting tense, though. her comeback must be executed flawlessly.

* * *

Back at the Student Council room, Yoshino and Aina were enjoying the same Wednesday morning. The sun wasn't too bright as there were a lot of clouds and even a bit of wind. There wasn't even much work. At that moment, Yoshino was rather pensive, peering out the window in her swivelling chair at the trees just outside the campus, while Aina prepared a whole teapot for themselves.

"OK," VP smiled setting down the crockery on a table right beside the president's. "Let's settle down a bit. I think we could sleep in all day today, don't you think, Yocchi?"

"Don't be silly," she said, but her voice was subdued and actually half-sleepy even.

Aina only giggled softly. It was so like her to insist on work. "Well, I guess soothing some nerves won't hurt now, ne, Yoshino?" She took a chair and sat by the window facing her, taking in the view as well.

They stayed this way for a while, allowing time to slide by as they watched the students stream by at the courtyard below. It was hard to believe these people would have been gone already before the year was out. It was even harder to believe that an upstart band managed to halt the closure, albeit with the backing of the crowd. Still...

"I wonder if we have all been working for nothing sometimes," she said.

Aina only gave the tiniest smile, which no one would even tell it was there unless she was staring hard enough. "You keep saying silly things yourself, you know that?"

"We almost lost this place, yet all of these people would still be gone by the end of the year."

Aina took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Yocchi, it's our job. Even parents have to let go of their children sometime."

"But I hate the idea. All this... All this... impermanence."

At that moment, Aina lit up. Silently, but, if you looked at her, you could see she was undergoing a realization, only that it was really was a thought that she had been having all along, and only now found the chance to truly expresss itself. She now pressed close, and whispered in her ear. "You know... there's still a chance."

By the time she settled back on her chair, Yoshino was quite perplexed. But she explained herself. "A year, dear, is still a year before it's gone."

Yoshino's face fell. "You can't be serious..." she whispered.

"Yocchi. We are third-years. If this year passes, there won't be another for us. Please think about it."

A chance to enjoy their youth. Is it really time? But as she looked out, Yoshino held on to her doubts. She wasn't the type to indulge in what they call fun. She was the president. She was a hard worker. She...

Wait a minute.

 _"What on earth?!"_ she growled under her breath.

People were stopping in their tracks down at the courtyard. Some were curious, but others, those standing closer to the spectacle, were frozen in place by outrage, confusion, fear, or a combination of these.

"Hahhhh!" roared Sasami at the head of the group. "We are the newest breed of superstars, the wonder warriors, the heroes and legends of all music! Behold!"

They were all wearing what could only be described as metal bikinis; it was topped by a bronze breastplate and matched by what looked like iron chastity belts. They wore flowing red capes and those helmets with crests that before they have only seen in the history books. Finally, they held a sword and shield each, and wore ferocious facial war paint, though the embarrassed and uncertain looks ruined the effect.

"Minna!" commanded Sasami, "WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?!"

Dead air. "Nya...?" whimpered Iida.

"No! We have already practiced this, right?! Come on! Haroo! Haroo! Haroo!"

"Harasho!" Emi beamed excitedly.

"No! You do this right or I'll skewer you where you stand!" She turned back to the public. "Let all men, and women, let everyone know, that seven warriors gave their last breath to inspire, and enthrall, and amaze, to infinity, and beyond! Behold! Tonight you will all dine, in idol hell!"

"Haroo! Haroo! Haroo!" they all yelled raising their spears in time.

"Emi," remarked Suzuko, "I wish you just went along with the Sasa-sasami thing."

"How could I know? We are only discovering the greatness of her lunacy."

Some students have already fled the scene screaming. "Do not waver!" assured Sasami. "It's not the lash they fear, it's my divine power!"

Something hit her in the head. She caught it in her hand and saw it was a small plastic receptacle, the kind used in laboratory tests. At the same time students were closing in on them. "Pee in that cup!" ordered one.

Sasami was dumbfounded by this scale of opposition. She could feel the other six people behind her ready to drift away. She wanted to muster some form of bravado again, but the words were being hurled at them a bit too fast.

"Suzuki-san will definitely hear about this!"

"Are you trying to ruin the school? We have no place for retards here."

"We just had those junior high kids pledged to us, and yet they will find _this_ when they study here?"

"Wait!" pleaded Sasami. "C-Can't you see we were being educational? It is history that inspired me to make these costumes! And I know quite a bunch of you were having a hard time with your Social Studies."

"You even make us bite into your yarn about those banana helmets of yours?"

 _Banana helmets?!_ "Hey! If you can't stomach differences in taste, it's your problem! But you can't drive us out of the grounds for promoting our group!"

"There has to be limits to promoting oneself! If it disturbs too many people, you should just stop it!"

"Inami-san," sobbed one, "are you sure you want to be led away by this pretender? I have always looked up to you ever since you released those videos! And..." *sob* "A-And Guile-senpai..." She broke down.

Emi made an embarrassed laugh. "You know, I have been asking myself that all morning..."

"You betrayed us! You spread those videos and then baited us into this!"

"N-Now calm down, calm down, everyone," Suzuko said desperately. "W-We didn't mean..."

"Fine!" thundered Sasami. "If I have to leave this school just to find an appreciative audience, then we will! Right, guys?"

The other six were now staring hard at her.

"OK, OK!" she conceded. "But know this. If you don't see the light, I will make another group. I will leave all of you in the dust! And I will still be remembered as the real legend of this school!"

 **"What is the meaning of all this?"**

A shudder spread all over the crowd. They instantly knew who the voice was. They instinctively made way for Yoshino Suzuki, approaching calmly but steadily towards a distraught Sasami, gritting her teeth with both fear and a great deal of resentment, followed by an Aina Komiya ready to attend to her orders. The other members were petrified. So... this is were it all led to.

"All of you! Kobayashi!" she commanded. "Stop right this instant!"

Sasami's face darkened as she lowered her head. But Emi just sighed. _Oh, well._ The game is over now.

"I have long held back on you. But now I am convinced that you all need to be reined in. Hard."

She turned to the students. "Minna-san. I am sorry it has to come to this. Rest assured...

"That this nonsense will never occur, or even remembered

"Ever again."

 **Ever again.**

The finality.

Yoshino vented her full ire on the group. "You are a complete shame! And you even pretend to care for the school? And the students? I wish I have brought a mirror now so you can all see _how ridiculous you have become!"_

"Yeah, yeah," said Emi in defeat. "You don't have to make a big fuss, you know." She could feel the intensity of the president's gaze on her, but decided that nothing can be done. She went around the members, shaking their hands sadly, and finally came to Aya. They looked each other, eye to eye for along time. That alone was enough for them, even if they wanted to say more. All of this effort have been all for Aya and all about Aya in the first place.

Murmuring arose in the crowd. Somehow this wasn't exactly what they wanted. Chants of "Inami-san" and "Guile" pervaded the scene. But Yoshino's face was as steel-cold as ever.

"Yocchi," mumbled Aina in concern.

"Be silent," she hissed. "I know what to do these people. You can not overturn anything I say from this point on."

That was the tone of voice that Aina has been watching out for. She stepped back and sobered up. There's nothing she can say now even if she wanted to save them.

"Aya-chan," Emi smirked. Her smugness only made the anguish on Aya's face worse. "We had a great time. I still got a few other gimmicks to pull elsewhere. You know... stuff. Hobbies. Gigs. This is just a side job to me. But I hope I have helped you somehow."

"Emi-chan," she replied in a terrified voice. "No..."

She clapped a hand on her shoulder and went on. "See you around," she finished with a wave of her hand.

"I will take over this group," announced Yoshino.

Ah- huh? Yoshino?

"Eh?" said Emi. But no one else made a sound.

"You, Miss Kobayashi, will be tied down to this group. I forbid you to form any other. You and all your members will be under my direct control and supervision at all times. You will NOT do anything without my permission. I will dictate to you ALL of the activities and ALL of the rehearsals you will do. I am in-charge of all of you from here on!"

Despite the gravity of the president's demeanor, happy and hopeful music seemed to tentatively rise from everywhere. Soon, everyone were breaking into smiles. The crowd cheered. The members: Yurika. Iida. Suzuko. Guile. They all gasped in complete relief, as though they have been underwater the whole time. Sasami sulked. Emi's jaw hung. Aina kept a little smirk to herself and nodded in approval. Yoshino remained hard and unfeeling. But not even the warnings of strict discipline could tone down the joy of knowing the group would stay.

Aya... covered her face, wept, and leapt to hug Emi. _"Emi-chan!"_ she wailed.

"H-Hey! Cut that out! Your armor is heavy!"


	10. Chapter 7

_"Urrrrgggghhhh..."_

It was an overcast Sunday afternoon out at the rooftop, but they all felt only heat.

Everybody were already stretched to the limit by Yoshino's militaristic power calisthenics, spread out in a skating pose and standing on one foot tiptoed. Emi, Aya, and Iida were ready to just collapse at will, while surprisingly, Yurika was going along rather calmly. Turns out her lighter, more flexible frame allowed her to last at balancing exercises. Suzuko, for her part, used steely self-discipline to put up a front and show her amateurish co-members how a practice should be done. And Aina...

"How come she only sits there?" grumbled Emi through gritted teeth.

"Shut that and get on with your remaining minutes!" ordered Yoshino.

"Just... Just because you're buddies..."

The president approached her and inched her dark face close to hers. "I could hit you in the face right now, you know that?" Instead, she gave her a soft push which was enough to send the girl into a frenzy of waving arms and hopping around... but she successfully kept her balance, albeit with even more sweat.

She walked back to the front. "I could have Komiya whip out a more difficult form than that and she'd be fine for hours."

"Then why don't you show us?"

Ignoring the complaint, she barked a fresh round of orders. "Everybody! You will execute the wind-down exercise after this and have a ten-minute break. Ten minutes, no more! Prepare for the third-tier exercises!"

However, break did come, and they all fell into soggy heaps. For a moment, they were too tired even to eat. Aina went around and dispensed tea. "Here, this will freshen you up."

"Like a bland cup of pee has anything to do with energy," said Emi, still crumpled.

The door of the stairway opened, and out came Sasami Kobayashi, still in her uniform and slinging a gym bag on her shoulder, to emphasize she had just arrived. Yoshino could barely hide her irritation.

"It's so like you to be proud of your own stupidity," she sneered. She stood up and clapped her hands loudly. "Minna! Back to the last formation!"

Yeah... The balancing one.

Suzuki wanted to throw Sasami right into the hardest part of the regimen as a punishment, and in the process throwing everybody else back into a fresh round of hell. She intended it.

"You..." raged Emi at Sasami through gritted teeth again. "I'll throw you off this roof when we're done."

"Hey," she smirked, noticeably less stressed with the workout, "it's not me who called the shots back there."

The groans from earlier were now open wailing. "I can't take any more!" cried Iida.

"Silence!" commanded Yoshino. "This is all basic! If you cannot put up with mere training, there's no way you can last an actual live show!"

"What?!" retorted Iida. "What exactly have we actually pulled off in the Open Campus? A dog show?"

Yoshino approached her and used her scariest expression on her to great effect. "Shall I tell you what kind of live show _I_ have performed?"

Iida recovered herself. "So what?" Gasp. Sneer. "Ballet?"

It unsettled Yoshino. The discomfort could only be seen as a faint trace on her face, but the silence that followed was noticeable. Aina took the cue and stepped up to them. "Now, now," she told Iida with a smile. "Talking will suck out more energy than normal." She jolted her arms and back into form, shocking Iida and rendering her speechless for a while. "There. I'm sure your movements will be more natural after that."

The training lasted another one-and-a-half hours. The complaints have died down. They have been a noisy bunch, but both Sasami and Yoshino were secretly impressed that they pulled ahead regardless. And they did perform once, after all, twice for the second years, and they even pulled a dirty tactic on them that first time. They have certainly seen people, quite a handful of them, who backed out in a blink and never looked back.

By sundown, she let them have some downtime of chat and snacks. After which she had them gather round for final instructions.

"Exams are coming up the week after next. We will having no more practice after Wednesday until I have made sure all of you pass."

For a short moment, they were all unsure what to make of it. In the end, though, they decided that the tests were a vacation from Yoshino's brutality bootcamp. The relieved expressions annoyed the president for a bit.

"I believe the director will not let you perform any more shows if you fail the test. They'll say extracurriculars only distract from studies. So you all better shape up. To ensure this, I will assign three study groups of three each. Aina. You start off with the choosing."

VP was deeply pleased with this and stood to take her pick. "I'd like to have two of the youngins, one from each year level." She took her choices by the arm and pulled them up to their feet, much to their surprise. "Let's have Suwa-san, and breakback-san (Iida, whose back she nearly broke earlier at practice)," she said with a patronizing smile.

"You just have to call me that, nya..." she grumbled.

"Fine," approved Yoshino. She looked directly at Sasami. "This one will be my property."

It immediately elicited a reaction. "You better call me something more appropriate, miss ruler of the universe," she frowned. "I will not move. I will keep dragging you down. Then we'll see how great it feels to be the owner of a Sasami."

She narrowed her eyes at her. She must admit it will be a real pain; she only picked her in particular as she believed she herself was the only one capable of taming this beast, with force if need be. But force is costly, so to lighten the load some, and also knowing she just wanted to save face above anything else, she settled on giving her some crumbs. "So I suppose you're brilliant enough to pick members yourself?" she sneered.

Taking the cue, Sasami pulled Guile by the arm with a loud _"Chotto!"_ from the hapless freshman and flung her in front of Yoshino. "There. A worthy opponent for the both of us." Which the president only dismissed with a "Humph," which was a tacit yes.

That leaves Aya and Yurika with Emi. "Hooray!" she cheered pulling on Yurika's cheek. "I get to play with four-eyes again! Hey, what do you say we do the roof jump all over again, shall we? Hee hee hee~"

"D...Dare ka tasukete!" she cried.

"So," concluded Yoshino, "I guess we're all set. Aina, when and where will you start activities with your group?"

"Hmmm?" she said with a bit of a cat smile. "Don't we get to have a little space as a separate group? I do think our teams should have their own secret bases so members can spend some real quality time."

Yoshino sighed. "Do what you want. Well, then, I believe each group must start picking their study areas tonight. Just don't make it too pricey if you do have to go outside."

* * *

It wasn't the case with team Aina. She simply had her members come over to her new dorm which she moved into just last week. An overnight study should be sufficient to cover enough of the harder subjects, and then some.

"Wow!" ogled Iida at the fancy ingredients on the table. There were preparations for making soups, cakes, and specialty onigiri. "Are we actually making them tonight?"

"Iida-chan," scolded Suzuko. "Are we supposed to have cooking lessons?"

Aina only chuckled softly. "In fact, I just might if I'm in the mood. For the meantime, help yourselves with the living room.

It was a place which was the definition of softness. Cream and purple-colored upholstery. Couches one could practically sink into. For a glorious long while Suzuko and Iida reveled in the comforts of the place, while Aina prepared some brownies for their study.

Turned out that it was so comfortable, Iida could barely keep her eyes open through the tedious and rather technical tutorial, especially at the segment on cellular respiration. Suzuko, however, was pretty invested in Aina's coaching. After some time they noticed Takatsuki's head hanging down as though it had just been cut off.

Suzuko sighed. "She will never make halfway if this keeps up."

Aina only smiled to herself.

She sneaked up on Iida and carefully reached for the back of her neck. Her gnarled hand looked like the claws of an eagle clamping open and shut, but all those fingers needed to do was... poke.

"Ya!" Iida screamed. That part was an especially sensitive tickle area. "Who did that, nya?!"

"Heh-heh-heh," said Aina displaying her claw-hands in a voice that creeped out even Suzuko. "The eagle has landed."

"No fair! You can't touch that!"

"You better shape up, Miss Takatsuki," she smiled deviously. "We still have two more books to cover."

And Iida slept through them as well. But Aina made sure to zap her every time she dozed off. But instead of making her study, she ended up cowering in a corner with a pillow around her neck. In which she finally napped.

Suzuko breathed a long drawn-out sigh of relief when they had finished. "That was a blast! It didn't feel like four books at all!"

"Mm-hm," affirmed Aina. "But make sure to tutor Takatsuki-san when you have the time. Tell her I'm removing all the couches and pillows the next time we get here. I'm going to make this room a dojo just for her."

Suzuko got up and made for the toilet. It was still some way down the hall, and there were no people there when she passed by. It was about ten already so they must be sound asleep by now. She felt just a bit apprehensive.

She was also alone in the toilet itself. She washed herself in the sink and looked around to see if there might be anyone else. She entered the cubicle to relieve herself.

After she had flushed, she lingered on inside the cubicle, not quite looking forward to going back to the dim hallway. As she was probably the only person roaming the dorm right now, she reckoned she might as well hum around for a bit until she gets sleepy. This she did, and when she caught herself getting drowsy, she stood up and called it a day. VP could be in bed by now. She'll just have to apologize in the morning.

"Wah!"

Suzuko slammed the door fast and locked it. Someone was standing right outside."Emi-chan! Is that you? What are you doing here?!"

"Give me a minute to explain," came the muffled voice.

She unlatched the door, and promptly got pushed back by Emi, who rushed in and locked it up again.

"Shhhh! Four-eyes and I are playing tag. She mustn't hear us."

"What ruckus is this, Emi? I thought you would explain to me why you're here."

"We had a hard day. Calculus, Business English, and South Asian History? A break is absolutely mandatory!"

"E-Emi-chan?" came a distant cry. "Anyone? It's scary."

Suzuko tried to go outside to help the hapless Yurika, but Emi gagged her. "Hey!" she hissed. "Keep it down, will ya?"

After a while, the voice was gone. "I must find Yurika," resolved Suzuko. "She might have wandered off somewhere." She opened the door.

"Wah!"

This time, Guile was there.

Emi pulled her in and locked the door again. "Wow! Didn't know you were here, too!" she said excitedly. "Hm? You must have been planning to sneak up on us all along, weren't you?"

"Where is Suzuki-san?" asked Suzuko.

"Umm..." She was at a loss for words at first.

 _ **"Oneeeeee-chaaaaaannnnnn!"** _ went Sasami at the sight of Yoshino entering their dorm room, wearing a teddy-bear hoodie and acting like a retard in general. She jumped onto the president's head and shook her hard while wailing. "Give me that cola, PLEEEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEEE!"

"I will have you expelled! Unhand me!"

"Onee-chan can't expel me while we're outside school hours! Cola! Cola! COLA!"

"She's doing everything to make Yoshino-senpai's life miserable," sighed Guile. "I do wish she hasn't chosen her."

"So that means we all ended up picking the same dorm?" asked Emi.

"Umm, yeah. Suzuki-senpai rented our room because this place was somewhat isolated and we thought we could have some peace and quiet."

"My classmate last year was going home to family and she let me use her flat for our team down at the first floor while she was away," explained Emi.

"And now you're using the entire building as your playground," sighed Suzuko. "Whatever is going to happen to Furihata-san now?"

"Oh, don't mind her. She's in high school now, she can find her way back, that's for sure."

"Anyone will have a hard time finding her way in a dorm this big, especially if it's her first time," chided Suzuko, recalling her own intimidation at the dark hallway.

"There would be a night guard doing the rounds at about two in the morning," said Guile, "but I hope it wouldn't have to come to that."

"Could you please call off your play now, and call her back?" asked Suzuko.

"Welp... I don't even know where she is now..."

But that won't be a problem anymore. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, sounded right outside the cubicle. Yurika must looking for them right now. Emi braced herself at the door, determined not to lose. She signaled to the others not to make a sound, but the footsteps kept coming, right towards them... and stopped. Just outside the door. It opened.

"S-Suzuki... senpai...?" gasped Guile.

Yoshino stood and glared at them, a frightened Yurika behind her. She was not less dismayed to find that all of them wound up in the same place.

"Ahaha..." said Aina back at her flat. "I suppose I didn't put that much thought into the plan."

They all gathered, eight of them- Sasami slept early in defiance of the president- over some hot pot VP has hastily prepared. It seems everybody else had finished their quota of study for the day and they were only talking about setting their next performance... and other stuff.

"Look!" said Yurika placing a laptop on the table, "It's the Oscar Awards of school idols! Anyone can enter their group name and members and get ranked all over the country! Out of 2435! Urrrggh... I wonder how we would fare?"

"We don't need to hurry at all," said Yoshino. "All we ever need is to get known in school. Leave contests to the professionals."

Yurika sighed. "But it said anyone."

Emi surprised everyone by reaching for the PC and entering their names into the site. "There. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

"N... News...?" wondered Suzuko at their group name.

"Of course! We made news at our performances in school, eventually we will make news all over the world, right guys?"

"Wow," said Aya. "I can make reporter-themed costumes for all of us!"

"Do what you want," conceded Yoshino. "But be reminded that no one can perform at an actual competition on stage without the approval of the school board."

"Moh," grumbled Emi. "Always a stickler for the rules. Can't you give yourself a break?"

Aina only chuckled. "That's our Student President for you." Yoshino was a bit embarrassed. "Ne, ne, I think Emi-chan was a bit right there. We're not in school, you know. Maybe we should relax a bit, now, don't you think?"

"You may think a sleepover is fun, but I'm still liable for any of you if anything happens here, since I'm with all of you now."

"Come on," teased Emi. "What could possibly happen? In a dorm? You gotta be kidding me." She then noticed the screen. "Oh! Look, we got 19 upvotes! Cool!"

"Hmmm," said Guile. "Those must only be 19 students from our school who happen to be still up and about tonight."

Aina winked at the president. "That's 19 students going online in the dead of the night. Go for it!"

"That's enough," she responded. "You tell me to relax at this time and yet you foist school business on me."

"We could make a music video to gain more upvotes," suggested Iida. "It would be less nerve-wracking as we wouldn't be facing an audience and have the chance to edit our blunders."

"Where are we supposed to start with a video?" asked Guile. "Please don't make any cheesy shadow intros."

"Of course we'll begin with us having fun! And since our group is named 'News...' " She produced a bunch of broadsheets and handed it to each one.

"What are we going to do with these?" asked Suzuko.

"Of course we will..." She rolled up the newspaper and proceeded to whack Emi with it. The reaction was immediate. Soon everybody were hitting each other. Yoshino was about to stand up and protest, but Aina cupped her mouth in her hand and gently led her away. She set up a camera on the group without their knowing and looked on with satisfaction. This had been a fun night.

Soon enough, everyone had settled in for the night, right there in Aina's room, except for Yurika who was still listening to some music on her smartphone. All the couches were full. She set about covering them with blankets, when she noticed Aya get up groggily. "Need anything, dear?" she asked her.

Aya gestured a 'no.' "I'm a light sleeper right now."

"You two should rest already. It's almost midnight."

Aya gave a weak smile. "Don't mind me. I'll get back in bed soon enough."

Yurika had just finished. "Isn't Sasami-senpai joining us?"

"Let her do what she wants. She should come round eventually."

"I wonder why she had a lot of beef with Suzuki-senpai," she said sadly. "Wouldn't it have been better if all of us just went along?'

Aina hid a little sad smile of her own.

"Furihata-san," she replied gently, holding her hand. "No one can solve people's problems all at once. The best thing for them right now is to let them play out their differences themselves. I know it can take a lot of time to get there, but you know, that's what you freshmen have over us seniors. I really wished those two would have enough time to make up before we graduate. If I were you, I'd enjoy every minute we live here in this school. While you still have your friends with you everyday."

Yurika's face fell. "Sometimes, I wished I could fall sick or play truant so we could stay behind another year."

"Please don't, Furihata-san. All of us must move on, and no one can stop the march of the ages. But if you could extract as much memories as you could, then I guess there's no regret at all in that."

"Could it be," said Aya, "that Sasami-senpai and Yoshino-senpai were in the very same group before? Maybe they disagreed about how high the standards will be set. Maybe Sasami-senpai wanted to set it even higher with Suzuki-senpai telling her to slow down. Then they entered a contest but on the eve of their performance, their members called off and then they blamed each other for the fiasco? Uh..."

When she had finished, the other two were goggle-eyed at her. "D-Did that really happen?" asked Yurika. "Aina-senpai, do you know anything about this?"

She got up. "I-I'll get us some tea so we could sleep early. I don't think I should discuss so many things so late in the night, you know. Excuse me."

Finally, Aina was the only one left awake. It was already one in the morning, but she felt confident she could get by on just two hours' sleep before they all dress up early again for school. She took the disc on which the newspaper-whacking video was recorded, and regarded it for a long time. 'News,' huh?

She hummed a familiar happy song and then sang it softly. "Selling my soul for my dream," she finished.


	11. Chapter 8

The day has arrived to announce the passers of the examinations. A crowd had gathered by the huge bulletin board, creating a rash of emotions ranging from jubilation to desperation to depression. Wonder what the members of News would have?

"Yatta!" went Iida at the results. She passed.

It took Suzuko's sweat, blood, and tears- and threats, too, that is, that Aina's eagle claws will come for her nape again when she least expects it- for Takatsuki to earn a decent score, not the almost-dead borderline mark. The joy and relief was shared by the all the rest of the members.

"But wait," wondered Emi. "Didn't Sasami-senpai loaf around?"

They all looked at her, much to her embarrassment. Turns out she had been secretly doing some studying on her own. She really hated to give off the impression that she cared about the group, but in the end her interest in keeping themselves together had prevailed. Her eyes shifted and she wanted to step away. "S-So what? Maybe I cheated. Who knows?"

Emi laughed. "Come on! Who brags about 'maybe' cheating? You did it! For real!"

Before Sasami's confused mind could cook up a proper rebuttal, the group has already crowded on her. "We're so proud of you, Sasami-senpai!" gushed Suzuko.

"Never thought you'd actually score so high, nya!"

Most disconcerting of all, though, were the looks from Aina and Yoshino. Aina's face had the same pride as the others, while Yoshino, although silent, looked noticeably calmer and gave a tiny nod of approval.

 _W-What do I give a fig about what you guys think? You expect me to be happy? Huh? It's not like that, not like that, at all!_

Sasami turned her back on them. "Fine, OK, thanks. You're gonna practice, right? You go on ahead. I'll drop by when I feel like." She began to walk away. "A-And stop calling me -senpai!" she concluded, her back still turned to them. "You're making me age sooner than I deserve!"

But everybody were smiling.

At that moment, they all remembered a certain song about surely hearing one's youth. "You know," remarked Aina, "I do think we should drop the -senpai thing while we're doing things as a group." She looked mischievously at Yoshino. "Except for Miss President. 'Cause she's, you know, the _eldest_ of us?"

It elicited an instant reaction. Even presidents want to be young. "W-Well, do what you like," she said uneasily. "But mind you, _only_ during practice. OK?"

Aina only cat-smiled back.

"OK..." said Iida bringing out a pair of maracas. "Let's rock!"

With the tests cleared, the group went full throttle under Yoshino. She was still tough as ever, but everybody were now too preoccupied to even care. They were rehearsing for a live show, they were shooting a music video, they were meeting and greeting fans in flash press-cons in classrooms and courtyards and cafeterias. Aya was especially busy with designing and making the costumes.

"Minna!" cheered Emi with the others at the auditorium before a raving crowd. "Please support us! Help us represent our school at the National Live Tourney! Let's make our school great again! Yay!"

"Nyu~zu!" The crowd roared. "Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu!"

"As your Student President," announced Yoshino, "I promise that if we make it to the Top 20, I will personally push for a permanent foreign exchange program. I want our school to be known outside Japan as well. I want all of us to know the world better." At this, there was no uproar of approval, but the murmurings of excitement were just as intense. Yoshino was deeply pleased.

Sasami didn't miss the chance to flaunt her showmanship. She sang a thrilling number, much to the enthrallment of the audience. They answered with a resounding applause, forgetting the spartan episode she led back at the courtyard. Yoshino clapped along. She decided that Kobayashi deserved the attention for not sabotaging the group with a failed test.

Afterwards, everyone had the time of their life posing with the members and having their notebooks and other items signed. They weren't that famous yet, but their group was a breath of fresh air, and they were very proud of their own. That same day saw News' ranking skyrocket through the ranks.

"But it is still only #208," lamented Yurika over the laptop back at the clubroom. "If we don't get to the 50s before the month is out, we'll never make it. Maybe we should rush the music video, you know, cut corners here and there."

"Let's just chill, Yurika-chan," said Aina. "If we can't make it this year, I'm sure News would have had developed the quality it needs to truly compete early the next."

Yurika's face fell. "Don't you want to be part of the contest?"

"But at least you will still be around."

"Nuh-uh," said Emi standing up. "We are nine now. That number is who we are. I will not let our group of nine become a six when we get to the Live."

Aina raised her eyebrow, just a bit, but she just smiled smugly and did not voice any opposition.

"Aina-chan, Yoshino-sem... Yoshino-san, Sasami-chan," she said with increasing fervor, "none of you will be left behind. Do not dwindle yourselves like you're not members of News. Uhm. That's right. We must have a goal if we are to move forward. And I say... Let us make it to finals this very year. No less can be accepted. What do you say, guys?"

Suzuko, Guile, Aya, and Yurika were delighted. This really isn't the time to hold back big dreams. "Look, everybody," beamed Yurika showing the photos they had with the students earlier. "They are all counting on us." Even VP and Yoshino looked admirably at the pictures. Aina sighed in resignation. She has to give it to them. What she had said earlier to the second years about the school losing a sense of community was being resolved.

"See?" said Emi. "We have all the reason in the world to make it to the top! I say, News, let's go for it this year, right now!"

"Ne, Emi-chan," remarked Sasami. "Are you making decisions for the group now?"

"Eh...?"

"I mean, hasn't this group been taken over already?"

"Oh," said Aina. "That's right. Yocchi is the one calling the shots here. Say, Emi-chan, haven't you shed your habit of leading the members?"

"But..."

"Komiya-san," said Suzuko, "Emi is the person we looked up to as leader ever since the beginning. I don't think we should just lay her aside."

"Yoshino-san hasn't said anything about joining the live yet," seconded Guile. "Only that the admin won't let us join if we failed the tests. And we all passed."

"Yocchi did say we should leave contests to the professionals."

They all looked at the president. She only stared back at them sizing up each one of them. She did take over the group but it was simply to put things under control and she didn't want petty leadership issues to disturb the peace now.

"How are we going to be professionals if we don't have the experience?" protested Emi.

"Emi-chan," said Aina. "I suppose you should respect lines of authority before anything else, don't you think?"

"Alright," said Yoshino standing up as well. She went to the window and faced them, as if to emphasize that she was unmistakably over them. But she wanted her words to be different. "Everyone. I am the Student President, and I am in charge not only of a group of nine, but also a school of a hundred plus or so. I hope that fact is still clear to everyone.

Emi was dumbfounded for a bit, but she calmed down.

"I am glad you have been cooperating with me this whole time. You have been very consistent in taking orders from me, even if I made things hard for you. In fact, Inami-san was one of the most consistent in following my instructions and I do hope she stays that way."

But her face has softened somewhat even as she spoke.

"In return, I now want to give each member their say about joining the tournament. If it is a decision about the future and direction of the group I believe each member who has given time and sweat to the group must at least be heard.

"We will hold a majority vote. Whatever comes out, even I will comply. Well now, I still think we shouldn't join." She raised her hand. "Who is with me?"

Aina looked blank, but immediately took the president's side. And, much to the dismay of the underclassmen, Sasami as well.

"Who needs contests when the greatness of Sasami is already obvious to all? I am allergic to contests." To reinforce her statement, "I mean it!"

"Well, I guess all the third-years are," said Emi ruefully.

For a blink of an eye, Aina threw a glance directly at Aya. It disturbed her in a way she couldn't explain. Maybe it was just because it was so random?

Emi now looked around to see if anyone has raised their hand in favor of the seniors. There were none. "Well, then," she said with a smirk, "I guess we won."

"Wait," said Guile.

"Huh?"

"Please don't count me in yet."

She was thunderstruck. "What?! But why?!"

Guile's eyes shifted about. "I-I think it's enough for us to love what we're doing..." Emi couldn't believe what she was hearing from her. "B-But," she quickly followed, "we haven't even heard what Iida-chan has to say."

It was then that they remembered Iida wasn't there at the moment. "Oh..." said Emi. "Right. W-Where is she?"

"You are both three-on-three," explained Guile. "Whichever side Takatsuki-san votes for will automatically become the majority, and I will just... I will just follow."

Just then, the bell rang, putting an end to the school day.

"Yokatta!" said Emi stretching out, as though the whole argument had been nothing more than a fitful nap. "We'll get Iida first thing tomorrow." Yawn. "I'm sure she'll vote for us, anyways. Let's go. I'm famished."

They all got up to go home, but Aina and Yoshino agreed to look for Iida before they leave. "I think we could easily induce her to side with us," remarked Aina as they closed the room.

Yoshino didn't answer right away, only said, "Let's make this quick. It looks like it's going to rain tonight."

Only a soft, cool breeze with the scent of rain blew under the darkening sky, but there was no rain just yet. It was refreshing weather. The students were taking their time chatting on the streets as they left. It didn't take them long to find Iida. She was at one of the cherry trees along the walk facing the south-facing back gate. She was sitting on one of the lower branches, humming and savoring the cool wind.

"Breakback-chan!" called Aina. "Aren't you going to fall off from there?"

"Wha?" she said startled. She saw them. "D-Don't call me that, nya!" She saw the president with her. "I... I'm just... I'm just letting the crowd pass before I go, that's all!"

"Oh," teased Aina, "but the president is not amused to see a high-schooler hanging on a tree branch like she was in grade school, now, don't you say, Yocchi?"

She ignored her. "How's the tree, Takatsuki?"

Iida promptly forgot her nervousness as she found the chance to talk about her favorite spot. "Oh, she's A-OK!" Giggle. "She's not due to bloom until next year, but I love to imagine her already all pink and pretty! Uh-huh. So nice... So beautiful... Walking under the sakura, having a picnic. And sitting in this exact same tree, nya! You know, this tree makes the biggest blooms and bears the yummiest cherries!"

She decided to share a little tidbit with them. "Would you believe it? Back at grade school, I was already passing by around here... and I saw this tree every time. I asked myself, what school is this where this tree is growing? Ah, I'd like to enrol here when I get older. It looks like this school could be the friendliest, warmest place, and I could make so many friends and so many memories here, if the trees here were so pretty." Giggle. "It sounds silly, but that's how I really feel. Even now. Boy, I'm so glad I go to this school." And she returned to her happy humming.

Yoshino did not speak any more.

She saw the students going home and chatting. Among them, she picked out Emi and the second years Aya and Suzuko, with the freshman Yurika in tow, all four of them laughing. She took in Iida's humming, as well as the scent of the trees all around. If there were any people around to encourage students to enrol here next year, they were the ones to do the job.

"Aina," she finally said. "Let us not talk about next year and passing on, about us leaving and they staying. Please. I really hate it when you bring that up. Please. Say nothing about it. Even just for now. Please?"

Aina smiled weakly and shrugged. "Well, who am I to question you?"

"Look at her," said Yoshino referring to Emi. "Uncaring, she pushes forward with her goal. Her focus and energy is disturbing at times, but, if those girls are to face the real world someday, isn't that the first thing they'll need out there?"

"..."

"Let's drop all mention of this voting. I will quietly let Inami lead the group around while I watch. You won't object now, would you, Aina?"

Another shrug. "Welp. It's Emi. I guess it's OK."

* * *

 _"The fun is just starting... Starting... Starting..."_

News has finally uploaded their first music video. Now they are in the top 150.

The second-years threw a huge party at a local cafe to celebrate. Parfaits and crepes and sweets galore were everywhere, and Sasami had her fill of near-unlimited hours at the karaoke while the others struggled to keep up with her.

But Yoshino wasn't there. She assigned Aina to attend the party and look after the group while she took paperwork home. It was still light when she came home lugging around a trolley-bag's worth of council work. she stayed in her own flat, which wasn't so big; not even the mailbox was huge. So she easily saw that something was sticking out awkwardly from it. An envelope. She took it out. The address sobered her up.

Evua, R.O.T. (Russian Overseas Territory). A former Soviet base in the Indian Ocean. Current population, 20,000, mostly ethnic Russian.

She first found a postcard-like photo inside. She smiled. "Belka... Strelka..." Her dogs. But her silence returned when she read the letter itself. She went inside and put aside her things. She ate a light dinner before going to the shower.

As soon as she had dressed, she turned on the cable TV. She tuned in to the news channel that featured world news.

* * *

"Uh-huh," said Aya happily over the phone with Emi, lying around in bed back at her dorm. "Of course. That was just creepy." Low giggle. "I told Suzuko-chan not to mind too much, but it seems she can't get over it just yet." Chuckle.

This was such a peaceful night, to match such a fun day. But she can't sleep from sheer excitement, long after she put down the phone. News is working its way up. Maybe, just maybe, they would make it to top 10. Maybe, just maybe, they'll be noticed abroad. Maybe... maybe... maybe...

Great was her anticipation that she didn't mind too much when the cat, that same cat, leapt from the open window and onto her bed. She'd been in this room before. "Oh, hi, neko-chan!" Giggle. "Do you know why I'm so happy? I can't stop tickling myself."

The cat only gazed back at her, but it seems it was listening.

"Do you have a new mission for me? Bring it on! I can do anything!" She got up and picked up the animal to look for anything tied to it. There it was, under its belly. She untied and saw. "Hahahahah," she laughed. "I guess you came just to congratulate us." It was a photo of her posing cute at one of their flash press-cons. It bore her autograph. She looked behind to see if there was anything written. There was nothing.

"Oh, neko-chan," she said cuddling and nuzzling the kitty. "You're so sweet. I didn't know I have a little fan now. Eheheh." She looked over the photograph again. Her little treasure from a little kitty. And then she saw.

She didn't notice it the first time since there was no writing... but there it was. A price tag.

"Th..." she gasped, losing her breath. How could one's mood shift so quickly? "Th-They're... They're selling this?"


	12. Deleted Scenes part 1

(Took place the morning the gang was leaving the sleepover at Aina's dorm for school. Rated M for probable violence to minors... maybe.)

"Ichigo jamu~ Ichigo jamu~ Ichigo jamu~" chanted Sasami in the most aggravating tone. It was about half-past five in the morning and only she and Aina were at the table. Komiya has prepared a bountiful spread for all nine of them, but Sasami was rapidly tearing into everything that was already on the table, starting with the bread.

"I didn't know you like bread more than I do," remarked Emi, still half-sleepy herself.

"You said it. With this strawberry jam, I can even down five bowls of rice." Chomp.

"That's even more than Yurika handles every lunch. You're declaring a food war on us, aren't you?"

Sasami didn't mind her any further as she went on devouring the rest of the breakfast. At that moment Emi didn't mind so much if she took hers as well, as she has eaten a rather heavy dinner last night and only wanted fresh air right now. But she can't help asking VP.

"Ne, Aina-chan, is she starving herself at night or something?"

Aina could only try to hide her embarrassment with an uneasy smile. "Personally I really want to believe she's doing this just to troll Yocchi and me... but I get the feeling she, um, genuinely appreciates the cooking."

"If this keeps up, the others might collapse on the way."

Nervous laugh from Aina. "Say, don't you want anything?"

"Uh-uh," she said as a 'no.' "Just some toast for now, I guess. But no strawberry jam for me this morning. Nothing too sweet."

"Ah! Well I do have jams that aren't sweet," she said as she headed for the cupboard.

Sasami pushed away from the table. "I'm done."

"Hah?" said Emi, startled. "W-Wait up. I haven't even started."

"Idiots," she said standing up and getting his things. "We'll be late if we don't move now."

"B-But it's not even six!" she protested. "A-And the others are still in bed..."

But Sasami has already left the dining room. "Hurry up!" she called from outside.

Aina set down a jar of yellowish spread on the table. "Here you go. Shall I put some on your toast for you?"

"No, I'm fine, I'll..." But Aina has already served her three slices on a plate with the spread on it. "Come on, try it."

She picked up a slice and regarded it for a moment. She hasn't seen anything like this before. Well, this better be good.

Bite. Chew. Chew.

"..."

Her vision began to spin. W-What? How...? when...?

"well?" went a distant echo of a voice. "did you like it?"

"uhhh..." emi heard herself say, "what kind of jam... is this?"

"it's a secret blend."

"..."

"is the flavor ok?"

well. how to put this? "ummm, it's... uh... it's got an... an _original_ taste! t-that's right! there's nothing like it."

"shall i put in more?"

"..."

giggle. "come on, emi-chan. don't hold back. it isn't marmite."

"of course it's not," she blurted. "it's even _better."_ she meant it.

"Hey!" said Sasami coming back. "Are you packing up or what?"

"Huh?" said Emi coming back to her senses. "Sure!" She got up and followed. "Be right there!"

They were gone in a blink. "Oh, well," said Aina, taking a bite herself. "It's OK, I guess."

* * *

"Ohayou, Rippa-chan," said Yurika.

Iida replied with a yawn. "Is it really Monday already?"

Yurika giggled. "Oh, you sleepyhead. Look, Aina-chan has prepared so many goodies for us." She saw her set down a plate full of onigiri just for her, and she instantly melted. "Uwwww!" she uttered in delight. "This! This is unbelievable!"

Yoshino was already sipping some tea at the table. Guile was already out to make it for the morning piano rehearsal. Emi dragged Aya and Suzuko along with her, promising to treat them to breakfast at the cafeteria. Back at the dorm Yoshino waited on the freshmen so they could have breakfast together, as a proper president was wont to do. "Don't eat so fast. You might get constipated."

"Yes, ma'am!" answered Yurika. But she already took the largest for herself and was staring at it like it was a pearl. Chomp! "Uwwww! Saikou desu!"

"No fish for me, please," Iida said.

Aina chuckled. "Hai, hai. All we have for today are bread and pastries. What would you like, Yocchi?"

"I'll just take what you have prepared already. We still got to pack up, mind you."

Chuckle. "Oh, you dear. Nothing's a bother if it's for us girls. And my things are already in place."

"I hope the test isn't that hard," said Iida mournfully.

"Don't worry, Iida-chan." She turned to head for the cupboard. "I've got the perfect snack to wish you well on your exam."

Yoshino got wide-eyed. She quickly turned to Yurika and stared her in the eye, gesturing a sharp 'no.' She matched it with a firm grip on her hand. Yurika couldn't quite get what she meant, but she caught the mood and froze in place. Yoshino turned to warn Iida, but it was too late. Aina has already set down her special jam before the unsuspecting Takatsuki. "Here you go," she said cheerily putting the spread on a toast and giving it to her. "Have a nice day."

Yoshino and Yurika could only look on in horror.

"Wow. Thanks a lot. Here I go!" Chomp.

"..."

"auuuuu..." she said in a pitiful voice.

"you better finish that up so you could have enough energy for the day!" She turned to the other two. "Would you like some?"

"No thanks!" Suzuki quickly followed. "We're on a diet. Yurika-chan has too much carbs on her plate already, see? It will affect our dancing."

Yurika quickly nodded.

But Iida was looking at them, pleading for help.

 _Don't train those puppy eyes on me,_ Yoshino thought. _There's nothing we can do about it._

 _I'm so sorry, Rippa-chan._

"au-? auuuu..."

"I could serve you a few more slices if you want," smiled Aina.

"auuuu..."

"It will work wonders for your digestion!"

"auuuu..."


	13. Chapter 9

The lunch bell rang as the second-year students prepared to leave the room. But Aya's empty seat was quite noticeable to Emi and Suzuko. "Say, Emi-chan, have you received any call from her yet? She's been absent the whole morning."

"Nuh-uh. She's probably sick."

"She didn't look it just yesterday."

"Well? If she can fall asleep randomly, what's with an occasional cold? Let her be."

Suzuko wasn't so convinced by Emi's constant devil-may-care air extending even to someone being sick. She was even more bothered by the fact that Aya never sent so much as a note or short text about her being out for the day.

"Chill down. Maybe it was something she didn't want us to know worry about. Let her be."

"I _am_ worried already. Why wouldn't she want us to visit her if she was sick? And what's with anything she doesn't want us to worry about? Are you saying we shouldn't solve our problems as a team?" She stood up. "I can't abide just letting her push us aside like this. I will call Iida and the others so we can all visit her tonight."

"Do what you want," she said stretching out. "If I were you I wouldn't be so worked up. She's fine. Sometimes she just needs to do her own thing."

Which at that very moment was donning a French maid costume. Why a maid dress, you ask? It could be to make her move more freely around Akihabara. It could be to hide the fact that she was a student at that school. Or maybe it could be just because she likes it. Well, I think you do as well, right, dear reader?

"I must find the source before the others find out. I will not let News become a milking cow."

With that, she walked into the district amid both ordinary pedestrians and some cosplayers. Finding the purveyor of the News photos with all these novelty stores around would be a real challenge. As she walked, she wondered how they got the pictures? Did they bribe someone inside the campus? Was a student making a profit out of them? But snooping around at school would make it even more likely that an issue would arise and hassle the group. No. She has to find the vendor before the goods get noticed. Better yet, finish the entire business this same day, while the gang was at school and unaware of what's afoot.

Meanwhile, Suzuko could hardly finish her lunch at the cafeteria. Even Aya's phone was still unattended after so many calls. She just kept twirling and twirling her noodles around in her chopsticks. She couldn't reconcile in her mind why Aya should keep things from them.

"Yo," said Aina coming around to her. "You look pretty down today."

"Komiya-san," she said. "You're not eating lunch at the office today?"

"Nuh-uh. It's pretty stuffy in there right now. Something happened to your studies?"

Suzuko could hardly find her words.

"Your teacher's yelling at you?"

"..."

"Something's wrong with our team?"

Now she has to spill it out. But how? In times when proper words fail her, being blunt is all that's left. "It's Aya. I don't understand. She should have told us why she was absent today."

"Oh!" said Aina astounded. "I was about to ask you to look for her. Our Science teacher was looking for some output from our research group in class and I have let her bring home with her the details the last time we met at the clubroom. As today is the deadline..."

"We have to look for her right now?" Suzuko finished for her.

Aina smiled and produced an excuse letter bearing all eight of their names. "We got all of us covered." Much to Suzuko's delight.

* * *

Back in Akihabara, Aya was making no progress in even finding another copy of the photo in her hand. If there was a product like this, surely, someone must be selling this, right? She was beginning to wonder if it had been worth it to go out and look for something that may not even be there in the first place. But she had to make the most of it.

"Good morning, have you seen this around lately?" she said showing the photo.

And anyone she talked to would invariably get uneasy and either walk away or stagger away. Talk about asking for your own whereabouts. In a maid costume, on the street.

"Hahh," sighed Aya. "I guess I should have worded it differently. But I guess..." She looked around and saw little hope in the pedestrians who passed her by without another care. "...nobody's gonna believe me now."

She had to force it now. She looked into each bookstore, each card shop, each sidewalk stall that sold photos. Maybe she should have just tracked the culprit from within school and followed her to wherever she led, but there was no more time. She glanced at her watch. It was almost two. How was she conclude this affair before dark? The group could be on her trail by then, as soon as they discovered she wasn't at her dorm.

The fact is, they did discover it already at that very moment. "Guys," said Emi, "could you think of any place she might have gone to?"

Six out of eight were not of the same year and were not so thoroughly familiar with Aya as the two fellow second-years, who themselves were groping. "Well, we do know we go out to shop or eat hereabouts on weekends like everybody else does," pondered Suzuko. "But if things were serious enough for her to disappear, would she be just out for shopping?"

"Could she have gone back to her family?" asked Iida.

"If that were so," reflected Yoshino, "I should have been notified immediately. Moving away for even a time does not happen in a single night."

They were all pretty clueless.

"Jaa!" Emi beamed cheerfully. "Let's just head out to Akiba and chill out for a bit! I'm sure we will come up with a better idea once we have cooled off. That way we can even continue well into the night. What do you say?"

"Oh, Emi," sighed Suzuko. "You only want to have a nightlife in Akiba. We have a friend lost and all you can think of is chilling out?"

"Well," she shrugged, "can you think of anything else?"

She was caught tongue-tied.

"Well, guys? Any other options?"

And one by one they gestured their assent. It was about quarter to three when they left for Akihabara.

Wuh-oh...

* * *

Aya paused to take some taiyaki, but she could hardly eat. She worked the snacks down her throat, but in the end, she was still quite dejected. What if? What if the pictures were actually circulated in school right this very moment? Or even earlier that day? Her buddies would be dealing with the merchandise, and she wasn't even there to support them! Maybe she should just turn back. But, with the walking time from here all the way back to school, classes would have been out by the time she got there.

And what's the whole point of her being out here in a costume?

Not taking any more of the despair, she set out randomly asking people. Her inquiries took her to a streetside bag seller. "Ojisan," she pleaded, "if you ever lay hands on pictures of me or of my friends, from anyone, please tell us right away. Y-You can't sell them. Please?"

"Aya-chan!"

(Cute scream from Aya.)

She froze in place in her maid costume. They found her out! And they were right behind her, all eight of them! How could she possibly explain her being out her in this outfit? "Aya-chan," said Yurika, "we've been so worried."

"Aya," asked Suzuko "W-What are you doing here?"

In what must have felt like an eternity, Aya scrambled for a trick to put them off. And all her startled brain could come up with was denial. She grabbed a bag from the peddler, one with wings on it, and faced them. "Uguu! I'm Ayu, not Aya! Stop bullying me!"

Iida gasped. "It's her doppelganger!"

"Do those things even exist?" muttered Emi even as Yoshino looked on ready to facepalm.

"But it's really you, right, Aya?" insisted Suzuko.

"Chigamasu!" she denied. "It's Ayu, not Aya! Uguu!" She tiptoed aside and began to step away from them. "Well... See... you... _around!"_ And she bolted away.

"Hey!" yelled the bag seller, "That's 5000 yen!"

But the group already went off in hot pursuit. Aya made good speed running around corners and through streams of people. She must have thought that with about ten more minutes of this, she would totally lose them. "Minna-san," she said to herself. "I'm so sorry. Please let me explain later." She turned into a side alley and hoped they wouldn't find.

But it turned out someone knew the place better than her.

"Young lady!" someone yelled way ahead of her. "Stop this instant! You'll run me over!"

"I can't!" she shouted back. "I'm too fast!"

"Jump off to the side where you hold chopsticks!"

Being righthanded, and assuming that everyone else is, Aya jumped off to her right to avoid bumping, only to find Aina smirking at her with her eagle claws right in her way. They bumped.

"Owwww," said Aya landing on her butt. "You tricked me..."

"I eat ramen with my left hand." The eagle claws set to work. "Well now, Miss Saitou, I guess a little punishment is in order here. Why did you run away from us?"

But she could not answer, terrified by those claws. It did not stop those claws from inching closer and closer... To her ears.

 _No! Not there!_

Aina reached behind Aya's ears. "Ahahahaha!" said Aya laughing uncontrollably. "Stop! Please! ... I'll tell everything!"

At that point the rest of the gang arrived. "Aya," said Emi heavily panting, "you're quite the rabbit. If you make us do this again, I'll probably have asthma."

A bit later, they were all sitting around her. "Everyone," she apologized. "I have been a burden. I'm so sorry."

Suzuko perused the photo which had the price tag. "But Aya, nobody's really selling any of our pictures at school. I have never seen a single pic of us being peddled anywhere."

"Neither do I. But I was so concerned there would be, eventually. I wanted to make sure we won't be weighed down by such an issue."

"Well," observed Sasami. "I don't really see how that would be an issue. Except that anyone who'd sell our pictures must tell us first."

"No!" protested Yurika. "I-I don't want anyone to make money off of us!" She calmed down. "I-It's unfair..."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to be so popular I'd have merchandise tied to me," remarked Iida.

"Humph," said Guile. "Being popular just to get squeezed? No thanks!"

Yoshino sighed. "Well, I'm glad we finally got to tackle this question. I was actually worried at the back of my head we'd run into this somewhere. Now, at least we got to talk it out as a team before this kind of stuff exploded all over Akihabara."

The bag peddler has just caught up to them. "Hey! That's 5000 yen, young miss. It's one of my best line of bags!"

"Ah!" Aya took off the bag. "I'm sorry, sir. Here. I'll give this back."

"No! Anything taken out of my stand is considered sold. That's 5000. I gotta have it."

Everybody murmured. No one had any pocket money left to spare. "That's pretty pricey for a tiny bag!" complained Emi. "What makes it so special, the wings?!"

"I told you it's my best line! Do you even imagine how much that costs at the warehouse? It is made right here in Japan!"

"Ehem," said Aina. "Maybe we could get back to you in a week? We are only students, you know. We could save up if you would wait."

"What am I, a credit card store? I must have the payment right now, in cash!"

"Ohhh!" exclaimed someone off to the side. They all turned to see a small maid cafe, Galaxy H&S, whose owner was rushing out to meet them. "Oh..." she breathed in awe at Aya and her uniform. "Don't you look so pretty in a maid uniform? Come. I got fresh spares for all of you!"

What's this about now?

"I only have two waitresses to help me and I have to do the accounting and closing and putting away the dishes every single night, as well as wait tables myself. It is all so tiring! Worse, both my maids are sick for the day. Patronage has also been sinking for two months straight now, and the rent does not care. I don't know what to do! If this keeps up, we'll be closed by next week."

"Well, what about my bag?"

The woman dumped five crisp notes into the man's hand. "Here. This is half my earnings yesterday. Please let these young ladies go."

Inside the cafe, they found the place tastefully furnished but woefully empty, save for a fellow sleeping at a table by the window, who the owner couldn't bring herself to shoo away, desperate as she was to populate her resto. "Please take these," she said as she motioned to eight freshly-pressed uniforms.

"Everything depends on you now," she explained. "I'm shelling the rest of the earnings yesterday, plus what I scrounged up since this morning, plus some cash from a small loan. If we fail, I'll have to run another loan, which I don't think I'll be able to pay anyways, and so we close. Please. Make this work."

Within the hour everybody were at their stations. Suzuko and Guile, being the math whiz students they are, manned the counter while the rest were scattered all over the tables. They weren't quite sure if this would be a success, as there weren't anyone outside at this point, but they found time to talk.

"You know," said Emi to Aya, "back at middle school, never in my wildest imagination would have I seen myself in this. But, I think, now I actually am in this, it's not so bad."

Aya giggled. "I just hope you become the cafe owner. I think you'll make an even better cafe owner with that personality. I'm sure you'll pull in more customers!"

"Nah. Actually, I still have kind of a pet dream."

"Oh?!" She has never heard of this before. "But what is it?"

"I wanted to be a librarian."

OK, so that made even less sense.

"It's true!" said Emi. "I wanted to try something more academic, and yet, more manly at the same time."

Manly?

 _Aya approached a huge, muscular Emi shyly. "E-Excuse me, librarian-san, c-can I know where to find a book on astronomy?"_

 _She got grabbed by the collar and lifted up face to face and eye to eye with Emi. **"Doooon't you knooooowwww the Dewey Decimal System?!"** she growled._

"But why do you want to have a man's job?" asked Aya confused.

"No, actually, I always looked up to a certain actress who plays Rikonan, the Amazon Warrioress Librarian Queen. I have always, always dreamed of becoming just like her..."

 _Rikonan waited at the desk that read "Return Books Here" and "No Dogs Allowed" with an enormous sword. One client returned a book. "Sorry. It's a bit overdue."_

 _Rikonan whooped a war cry and sliced the offender in half._

"Ehehe," said Aya. "You're such a loyal fan, aren't you?"

"Mochiron!" affirmed Emi. "And the actress actually graduated from our school, would you believe that?"

Just then, students straight out of campus, right after classes were out, came in. "Oh?" said one. "I didn't know Galaxy has so many maids now- Whoa! Is that really you? So that's what you guys have been up to!"

"Please have a seat, master," motioned Aya to one of the tables. After the astounded students were settled, "What would you like to have, madam?"

They couldn't quite register that the great News was serving them and calling them mistresses. So instead of ordering right away, they texted their buddies and other classmates, who texted their buddies and classmates, and by evening the cafe was jampacked.

"Wow!" cried one excitedly. "This parfait came straight from Yoshino-sempai! This is a dream!"

Before long, everybody were clamoring for a performance. "Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu!"

All eight of them gathered in front of the counter, not quite sure what to sing. "Is there any song that would fit our outfits?" Iida whispered anxiously.

"Well," smiled Sasami, "I suppose any outfit will fit the legendary Sasami, so I guess it's fine."

"So," said Yurika, "what shall we sing, then?"

Sasami was tongue-tied for a bit. "H-How could I know? The singer is ready, but it's the song that falters."

"Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu! Nyu~zu!" went the crowd.

In the end, it was Aya who stepped forward. "Guys," she told the team first, "I don't think we should bother with what we're wearing. See? Everybody approves of us already. I believe we should choose the song that shows how wonderful we feel right now." Actually, the lyrics kept coming to her all this time she was assisting the customers. To them, "I can't describe how happy I feel, but please let me let it out, at least."

The crowd cheered uproariously.

The rest of the gang finally understood. Yes, there was this one song they made but haven't performed yet; it captured that sense of Wonder. So, when Aya began singing the opening lyrics, it became easy, almost natural for them to follow.

At the end of it, the crowd was deafening.

The owner couldn't believe the cash register. It was stuffed with bills and coins. "I...This... This is a miracle!"

"I'm glad we could help, Ma'am," said Yoshino as they prepared to leave in their casual clothes. "It had been a great evening for us, really."

"I-I hope I could hire you... Even if part-time only."

Yoshino smiled. "You're so kind, we have to prioritize our studies."

The disappointment showed on a woman's face, but she gathered herself. "Well, at least could you always eat here? Only for you nine, you got a discount on all items, and drinks shall be free!"

Yoshino blushed, as the team murmured approvingly. "Y-You're only too kind, Madam. Arigatou gozaimasu."

"Now before you go," said the woman motioning them to sit. "let me serve you my own specials. Your pay simply can't convey how grateful I am."

So later they helped themselves to a sumptuous spread of crepes and pasta, all prepared by the owner herself. And that particular serving was entirely free.

"You know," said Emi, "I have been wondering if it's worth it after all for us to go big on making money. " I mean, it's not like we're demanding it from them. If they are willing to pay, let them.'

Nobody could speak for a while. Yurika remained visibly uneasy over the idea. But the others looked wistful and wondering along as well.

"Iya," said Yoshino. "Young people like us, we should put our studies ahead of any profit."

They all looked at her silently. She could hardly tell if they were agreeing with her. But she has her own thoughts. "However, if we must make money, then I say let us donate our earnings to the betterment of our school. What do you think?"

They remained silent as they pondered what the president said. Finally, Emi broke the impasse with a smirk. "Heh. You got a clever solution there. I guess, giving to charity would not hurt us."

Guile lightened up. "Of course! It's more than that. It only means News is one with our community, and we give thanks by giving back, don't we? That's just wonderful!"

They then toasted to the success of the team, and indulged in the feast prepared for them. Ahead lay the montage of activities, events, and promotions led by News, supporting various causes, sponsoring school projects of all sorts, including the renovation of the gymnasium. All financed by News merchandise, which Akihabara slurped up.

* * *

"Yocchi?"

"Huh?"

She had been sleeping at her desk. A modest heap of paperwork lay untouched.

"You been at the TV again?"

"Oh," she said embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I'm becoming irresponsible, huh?"

"Oh, Yocchi," she said with a hug. "You're so hard on yourself. Lookie. I got a treat for all of us. A celebration for all our success." She showed the picture of a small beachside hotel. "Reserved."

 _Summer wing~_


	14. Tribute

A short tribute for August 3rd, HK Day. Emi needs her holiday pay.

* * *

"Hello anime fans, how are you? Fantastic! Does your best girl look like me? Sorta. Can she smell like me? Maybe.

"Should she enrol in our school? I don't know! Do you like the smell of adventure? Do you want a girl who can sings like she can bake you a gourmet cake in the dream kitchen she built for you with her own hands? Of course you do!

"Swan Dive –

"into the best night of your life. So is the cake for my birthday? Is it today? What are you talking about? It's in December. Go figure.

* * *

 **Happy, happy breadday, Kousaka Honoka! Faito da yo!**


	15. Chapter 10

Iida lay nearly dying of thirst as the rickety army truck carried them over rough roads across the desert. Her helmet was feeling heavier by the hour. Her service rifle made clanking and thumping noises that would have driven her nuts if she wasn't so tired. Her vision was wavering, like quivering puddles of water... Water. Emi slumped right beside her against the wooden railing, jarred every so often by bumps in the road, but she was so exhausted she kept right on sleeping, quite unlike her, who could not shut her eyes at the constant pummeling of the road and the searing desert heat.

"Is there..." she groaned, "an end...?"

"Iida... chan..." said Emi talking in her sleep.

She was by now quite listless, being awake the whole time. She could not answer right away. "Eighty miles..."

"..."

"Eighty miles... How long till... we... get there...?"

The desert road stretched to no end.

She decided to put an end to it all. Slowly, she picked up her gun and felt for it. It was loaded. Carefully, mindful of the bumping, she opened her mouth, led the muzzle of the gun into it, and reached tentatively for the trigger.

 _Prrrrrrtttt!_ went the shrill cry of a whistle.

The eight of them were lined up under the heat of the summer sun. They were at the beach, facing Suzuko, the harsh taskmaster. Iida was drinking off of her water gun, firing into her mouth, a listless Emi staring ahead dazed beside her under the heat. There. She coughed a bit and stretched out. "Nyaaa~" she said relieved. "That was the best!"

"Takatsuki-san!" snapped Suzuko. "We should be maintaining our ranks here, not bringing toys!"

"But, everyone else is having a good time, nya~" she complained. There were all sorts of beachgoers all around them. There were suntanners. Others played volleyball on the sand. Still others showed off their figures. And News was still hard at work, submitting to Suzuko's death regimen.

"Say, Yoshino-san," said Guile. "Shouldn't you tell her to leave out the practice while we're at the beach?"

"To be honest," she replied, a little embarrassed, "I feel like we have to use every inch of time we have as a big show is coming up next month. When Guile's wide-eyed stare of disbelief and outrage got to her, "B-But only every inch of _part_ of our time. I believe this should over within three hours."

Suzuko sure doesn't look it.

"Minna!" she ordered. "Everyone listen! Today, we will have a set of challenges that will enhance our team coordination and test our skills: our resourcefulness, quick thinking, and alertness of response. And most of all, endurance. All of which are vital to perform on our upcoming first three-hour concert."

"Really now," Emi managed to mumble, "I was getting the butterflies in my tummy just thinking about that, and you're laying it on... right here in the beach. Please, Suzie, just kill me. But not this slowly..."

Suzuko produced a set of envelopes. "Inside are the tasks you must perform. I will choose by lot a pair who will face off over each task."

The array of obstacle courses, fitting for a reality TV show, behind her did not comfort in the least.

"Suzuko-chan," said Yurika timidly, "can't we just play volleyball or something? Like... It also exercises, right?"

"There's nothing like a full-on bootcamp. The harder we grind, the better we will perform. Not any of the pressures on stage will ever be more than a piece of cake."

"You can't have your cake and throw up on it, too," grumbled Emi.

"What did I just hear?!" snapped Suzuko.

"Suwa-san," asked Yoshino, "maybe we should tone down a bit? The sun's getting hotter, you know."

"Yoshino-san!" she returned with pleading words and a commanding voice. "Please give me a chance to improve the team! It's for all of us! I'm sure I can deliver best results."

Sigh. "I guess I just have a bit too much trust in you," she conceded.

Everybody let out a collective groan of despair. The hardliner has given in. No one could save them now.

"For our first challenge," announced Suzuko pulling a sheet out of the first envelope marked 'Endurance,' "I will see if the selected members has the staying power and focus on a given task. Please, draw lots."

And, much to their dismay, the task fell on Emi and Iida. Suzuko nodded approvingly. "I call this first challenge: Passionate. Minna. Be consumed with passion to give you the push to see the task through." She read out the paper. "The challengers will race to consume their half of a king-sized parfait." Dead air. _"What?!"_ She staggered. "This must be a mistake."

Much emboldened, Emi straightened up. "Hah! You already said it out loud. Right, guys? Hora! Let's finish what we started!"

"But-but... I-I'm sure this is the same envelope..." But the helpers already set down a huge bowl crowned with said parfait. She seem to have sunk into depression. "What had just happened?" she lamented.

Emi and Iida sat facing other across both sides of the massive dessert. "It can't be," protested Suzuko. "You two are the biggest eaters in the team."

"The lots have been drawn!" Iida said with mock ceremony. "Jannn!" she yelled sticking the spoon into the glass. And off they went. The referee was caught off guard and blew the whistle belatedly and lamely.

 _I will have my revenge,_ thought Suzuko.

It didn't take all of five minutes. Iida won. "Yatta!" she said throwing her spoon onto the sand in celebration.

"What?" said Emi. "I was only this close behind!" she grumbled putting her thumbs close together.

"Well," said Iida smirking mischievously at Suzuko, "I guess we've passed for today." Yawn. "You guys do your best-" She was stopped when Suzuko set down on the table a much larger glass. "Huh-?"

It was studded with anchovies on the side facing Iida, and the other side facing Emi had plenty of slices of green bell peppers. "Grrrr," said Emi. "She really wants to turn the heat on." The both of them were faced with their greatest food dislikes. "How are we supposed to get out of this?"

"There's no way," wailed Iida. "She really wants us to lose."

"Don't be silly," chided Suzuko. "This is a training, not a deathmatch. All I want is for you to learn to live within your discomfort zones. This will help you put up with the pressures of the live show."

"Then why don't you gulp down a whole bottle of cola right now, Miss Discomfort?" cried Iida.

"Wha- I-I'm not the one in training! You finish your part!"

"As far as I know," declaimed Emi, "if you truly love what you're doing, and have a genuine passion for it, there is no discomfort whatsoever in doing it, no matter the pressrues."

"Shut up!" snapped Suzuko. "Get on with the program, will you?" She ordered the referee to blow the whistle.

They just sat there staring at each other across the parfait, much to Suzuko's consternation. "What's the matter with you? Time is running out!" She consulted the referee's watch. "Y-You only got eight minutes left! Gah. Two minutes gone just like that."

But they gave no heed. Nothing short of force would make them put those disliked stuff into their mouths. But... "Ne, Iida-chan. I suppose it wouldn't be too bad for you..."

She only gazed at the parfait in reply. "Well... I suppose... if it isn't fish... Maybe."

"Hey!" shouted Suzuko. "We don't have all day. Only four minutes!" The rest of the team started to murmur among themselves.

They still did not mind any of them. Theirs was a solemn pact. "Uhm," they both assented. At the count of five, they turned the glass around, switching their sides of the parfait. Iida stared at the bell peppers. _This shouldn't be too hard._

Suzuko's jaw hung in the air.

She was so stunned the two got down to work way before she could even utter a word of disagreement. By the time she came to, they were done. "Hahhh," panted Iida. It wasn't so bad after all, just a bit hot. And the milky parfait toned down the spiciness. "I got my vitamin C at last!"

Emi, for her part, gulped down a two glasses of water to flush down the extra fishy aftertaste. Just like another dinner, it turned out, where back home they had fish twice a week. "Yay!" she jumped up. "We made it! No more challenges for us!" The applause from the team was resounding.

Suzuko slumped down on the sand in defeat. "Guess I should have upped the rules more." She took out the next envelope. "Alright," she whimpered. "The next challenge is labeled, 'Resourcefulness.' Everybody, please draw lots."

Yoshino took the box and drew the next two names; it turned out to be herself and Aya. But Aya had fallen into her sleeping attack. "We have to draw a new name," said Yurika. They lay her aside under the parasol next to their beach kit.

And the name they drew next was Guile's.

"After the next draw," observed Aina, "there will only be one member left, so you will be obliged to fight her, Suzuko-chan."

"Wha-" She was uncomfortable with the implications. She was supposed to be the one training them. She dismissed it for now by saying, "Hey, let's just focus on this fight for now, shall we?" She hoped Aya would wake up in time.

A large box was brought out by the helpers. Suzuko was pleased. She turned over and examined the envelope to make sure it wasn't tampered or anything. On opening it, she made care to read the whole thing quietly first, and then signal to the referee if she didn't like what was written. Fortunately, though, she did. "Minna," she finally announced. "Inside the box are padded weapons that will be used for one of the obstacle courses behind. You will have to reach into the box without looking, and take whatever it is you picked up. It is up to you to use the weapon as you see fit. No one will complain to me that they are at a disadvantage! Use your wits!"

Yoshino and Guile didn't seem interested in complaining anyway, and simply reached into the box. Guile got... "Huh?" A cucumber.

And Yoshino had a clutch of marbles.

Suzuko was outraged. "What is the meaning of this?! Throw them away!"

With a shrug, they did as told, and the next time they drew, Guile had a laser pointer, and Yoshino a paint gun. "It must be a mistake!" cried Suzuko. "Somebody please look for the right box!" But before anyone could respond, Iida snatched the whistle away from the referee and blew hard. The fight is on.

"Wait! No!" Suzuko whimpered. She sank down on the sand in frustration.

Battle start!

* * * ROUND 1: Suzuki Yoshino VS. Guile! FIGHT! * * *

"Aren't you giving up?" smirked Yoshino. "Stop right now for your own good."

"My own good, hah?" She chuckled low. Then, she charged. "I'm just starting to feel good! Yahhh!"

But the Student President was too fast and handily dodged all points of light. In return, she fired a barrage of paint pellets straight at her head, and now it was Guile doing the dodging. She also did rather well.

But then, the pointer's battery ran out.

"Humph," dismissed Guile throwing the thing aside. "Nobody lost. Let's call it a draw."

"No way!" ordered Iida, while Suzuko kept staring at the scene blankly, all command initiative taken over from her. "This must go to the bitter end!" She threw something out of the box to Guile.

She got... a starfish plushie...

"Huh...?" Yoshino stared at her unbelievingly.

Guile only hissed. "You got a problem with this? I'll make sure I'll pound you to pulp with the power of starfish until you're nothing but pixels!" She charged. "Yaahhh!"

Battle start!

* * * ROUND 2: Suzuki Yoshino VS. Guile! FIGHT! * * *

Yoshino attacks!

Yoshino unleashes danmaku at Guile!

Guile dodges barrage!

0 damage

0 damage

0 damage

0 damage

0 damage

"Hah!" she boasted. "Is this too much child's play for you? Hahaha! My turn!"

Guile attacks!

Yoshino is hit by the starfish plushie!

4 damage

4 damage

4 damage

4 damage

Yoshino turned irritably to Iida. "Can't I just throw this?"

"Nope. Use it as it is meant to be used."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Well, then, I must do something drastic."

Yoshino attacks!

Yoshino hits Guile with pellets at her feet.

This made the whole thing somewhat harder. Guile had to hop-dance all over the place just to avoid getting hit. But Suzuki had yet another trick. "Aina! Could we have some documentation here?"

"Uhm!" she agreed at once taking out a camera. "This will make a perfect article for the student paper!"

The blood drained from Aida's face. "Ch-Chotto! I-I can't appear on the paper like this!" But Yoshino has already resumed firing, Aina taking the pictures, and poor Guile came under fire on two fronts.

Guile flinches while hopping!

5 damage

5 damage

5 damage

5 damage

5 damage

5 damage

5 damage

"Haaaahhhhh," groaned Guile, colors all over her person, collapsing on the sand. Yoshino was the victor.

For the next challenge, the lots were drawn for the final two pairs: Yurika was pitted against Sasami, and (much to her dismay) Suzuko will have to face Aina. "Hey, I know!" said Aina. "Since we both got bluish long hair, why don't we just see which of us can tie the bigger ponytails?"

She could only drop her head in embarrassment. Anything about her being in her own bootcamp exasperated her. "Can't we just let the third pair face off first?"

Suzuko took out the next envelop. Much to her surprise, there was only one word there. "Co... Cooperation?" The rest were just as mystified as her. "What sort of challenge do we have that uses cooperation?" Certainly, it will be hard for two people meant to face off each other to also help each other out at the same time.

Everybody tried to pore over what to do for a while, sitting on the warm sand while the assistants served them drinks. In the end, "I know!" beamed Yurika. "Maybe we should help each other build the perfect obstacle course, and only then shall we race each other to the finish." Blank looks. "Er... Right?"

"There's already an obstacle course," Emi pointed out. "You're not saying we revamp the whole thing, do you?"

The rest murmured, but they themselves couldn't think of anything else. At last, Sasami stepped forward. "You guys take things too hard. I guess only the genius of Sasami can save the day. Yurika-chan!" she barked, "Get me those planks and tires. We're making a castle!"

Suzuko turned white at this.

And she stayed that way as she watched the two take apart her obstacle course and assemble it into what looked like a garage sale heap in the making. "What happened to my survivor training?" she whined.

Finally, it was done. The two succeeded in building an obstacle course... for kids: what was essentially a play castle where all that needs to be done is slip into the maze of tires and go out to a water slide. The whole structure was bedecked in paper flowers by Yurika. "It's so pretty!" she exclaimed.

"Enough!" yelled Suzuko. No more standing by helplessly for her. "We all need to have a true challenge activity! Take that down right now!"

"Hm?" said Sasami. "Are we going to turn it into a ship and sail to Hawaii?"

Suzuko broke down. "Aggghhh! What's wrong with the instructions?"

"Suwa-san," said Aina. "You have taking things a bit too seriously. We're at the beach. Chill out! Relaxing and recovering our energies from unwinding can also do News a lot of good, you know."

"But... Challenge..."

"Hai, hai," she smiled putting an arm around her. "We'll get there soon enough. But first, we must savor the sun and sea. Come on, dear, it will do wonders to your complexion!"

 **"Umauuuuuu!"** went a bone-chilling howl.

Just then the sun hid behind a thick cover of grayish clouds. A cold wind blew in from the sea and kicked up sand, chasing away the assistants and the other beachgoers. Everybody in News folded into each other for cover. When the wind died down, they staggered back on their feet, only to find... a mysterious figure before them.

A man in a... walrus suit? With a feathered... headdress?

"Umau!" it growled. "You will pay for trespassing in our territory! No other performing group is allowed here!"

Dead air.

They all turned to Emi. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Umau! And you even aim to join the National Live Tournament?! It is NOT A GAME!"

"..."

"Then why are you here at the beach?" asked Emi deadpan.

Suzuko shoved her lightly by the elbow. "It looks like there's an aquarium theme park somewhere around here, and that's the theme park mascot."

"But they said they are a group, too." It was then that she imagined a performing group consisting of girls in huge, dumpy, awkward suits: A (feathered) walrus, a dolphin, a shark (?), a frog, a dog, a penguin, a turtle, a whale, and a... coelacanth?"

Emi burst out in laughter.

"Umau! Shut up! I'm not just any mascot! I am THE mascot! I am... Mascot the Saitou!"

A peal of thunder roared somewhere.

"Yurika! Sasami!" ordered Suzuko. "Go! Only you can save us now!"


End file.
